Phenol is more reactive than benzene towards electrophilic substitution reaction.
In case of Phenol, the intermediate carbocation is more resonance stabilised.

Options

A. If both assertion and reason are correct and reason is correct explanation for assertion.
B. If both assertion and reason are correct but reason is not correct for assertion.
C. If assertion is correct but reason is incorrect.
D. If both assertion and reason are incorrect.

Explanation

To solve the question regarding the reactivity of phenol compared to benzene in electrophilic substitution reactions, we can break down the reasoning into clear steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Assertion
The assertion states that "Phenol is more reactive than benzene towards electrophilic substitution reactions." This is true because phenol has a hydroxyl (-OH) group that increases the electron density of the aromatic ring.

**Hint:** Consider how substituents on an aromatic ring can influence its reactivity in electrophilic substitution.

### Step 2: Analyze the Structure of Phenol
Phenol has the structure where the hydroxyl group is directly attached to the benzene ring. The oxygen atom in the -OH group has lone pairs of electrons that can be donated into the aromatic system, enhancing its electron density.

**Hint:** Think about how electron-donating groups affect the stability of the aromatic ring and its reactivity.

### Step 3: Resonance Stabilization
When phenol undergoes electrophilic substitution, the formation of a carbocation intermediate occurs. This carbocation can be stabilized by resonance. The lone pairs on the oxygen atom can delocalize into the ring, creating multiple resonance structures that stabilize the positive charge.

**Hint:** Draw the resonance structures of the carbocation formed during electrophilic substitution to visualize how the positive charge is stabilized.

### Step 4: Compare with Benzene
In contrast, benzene does not have any electron-donating groups. Therefore, it does not have the same level of resonance stabilization for the carbocation intermediate formed during electrophilic substitution. This makes benzene less reactive than phenol.

**Hint:** Consider how the lack of resonance stabilization in benzene affects its reactivity compared to phenol.

### Step 5: Conclusion
Both the assertion and the reason are correct. The reason provided explains why phenol is more reactive than benzene, as the intermediate carbocation formed during the reaction is indeed more resonance stabilized in phenol than in benzene.

**Final Answer:** The correct option is (A) - both assertion and reason are correct, and the reason is the correct explanation for the assertion.