Compare and explain the acidic nature of phenols .

Explanation

Out of alcohols and phenols, are more acidic .

(i) Phenol is resomance hydride of the following contribuiting sturcture :

Due to reasone , oxygen acquired some positive charge (II to IV). It will strongly attracth the shareed electrons of O-H bond towards itsefl and `H^(+)` ion is released .

Phenoxide ion si stabilised to a greater extent due to the disperison of negative charge . Thus phenoxide ion is readily formed due to the dissociation of phenol . On the other hand neither alcohol nor alkoxide ion is resonance stabilised . Moreover alkyl group due to its `+I` effect increase the electron the electron density on oxygen in alkoxide ion and thus destabilies it .

Thus alcohol do not dissociated to give `H^(+)` ion easily . Hence , phenol are more acidic than alcohols .