Phenol can be obtained by ..... of sodium phenoxide:

Options

A. acidification
B. oxidation
C. sulphonation
D. hydrolysis

Answer

To obtain phenol from sodium phenoxide, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understanding Sodium Phenoxide
Sodium phenoxide is the sodium salt of phenol. It can be represented as C6H5O⁻Na⁺. This compound is formed when phenol reacts with sodium hydroxide.

### Step 2: Acidification of Sodium Phenoxide
To convert sodium phenoxide back to phenol, we need to acidify it. This can be done by adding a strong acid, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl), to the sodium phenoxide solution.

### Step 3: Reaction Mechanism
When sodium phenoxide is treated with hydrochloric acid, the sodium ion (Na⁺) reacts with the chloride ion (Cl⁻) to form sodium chloride (NaCl), while the phenoxide ion (C6H5O⁻) is protonated to form phenol (C6H5OH).

### Step 4: Final Product
The final result of this acidification process is the formation of phenol and sodium chloride as a byproduct.

### Conclusion
Thus, phenol can be obtained by the **acidification of sodium phenoxide**.

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