What are the properties of phenols?
Phenols are similar to alcohols but form stronger hydrogen bonds. Thus, they are more soluble in water than are alcohols and have higher boiling points. Phenols occur either as colourless liquids or white solids at room temperature and may be highly toxic and caustic.
The chemical properties of phenol are electrophilic substitution reaction, halogenation reaction, Kolbe's reaction, Reimer- Tiemann Reaction, reaction with zinc dust, and oxidation of phenols.
Phenols generally have higher boiling points in comparison to other hydrocarbons having equal molecular masses. This is due to the presence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding between hydroxyl groups of phenol molecules. In general, the boiling point of phenols increases with an increase in the number of carbon atoms.
Phenol is a very weak acid and the position of equilibrium lies well to the left. Phenol can lose a hydrogen ion because the phenoxide ion formed is stabilised to some extent. The negative charge on the oxygen atom is delocalised around the ring. The more stable the ion is, the more likely it is to form.
phenol is a weak acid.
Physical properties of matter include color, hardness, malleability, solubility, electrical conductivity, density, melting point, and boiling point.
Phenol is used in many industries. It's used for medicine as a slimicide, antiseptic, and disinfectant and to manufacture a number of products. Some examples of workers at risk of being exposed to phenol include the following: Workers in the petroleum industry.
Phenol has been used to disinfect skin and to relieve itching. Phenol is also used as an oral analgesic or anesthetic in products such as Chloraseptic to treat pharyngitis. Additionally, phenol and its related compounds are used in surgical ingrown toenail treatment, a process termed phenolization.
Phenol | the parent compound, used as a disinfectant and for chemical synthesis |
---|---|
Orthophenyl phenol | a fungicide used for waxing citrus fruits |
Picric acid | (trinitrophenol) - an explosive material |
Phenolphthalein | pH indicator |
Xylenol | used in antiseptics & disinfectants |
Some examples of phenols are Flavonoids, Quinones and Stilbenes.
What happens when phenol reacts with water?
In the reaction between phenol and water, a hydrogen ion is released from the hydroxy group of the phenol molecule. This hydrogen ion is then gained by a water molecule, which converts the water molecule to the H3O+ ion. The name of the H3O+ ion is the hydronium ion.
Phenol is an aromatic compound. The chemical formula of this organic compound is C6H6O. Phenol is also known as Carbolic acid. It consists of a hydroxyl group and a phenyl group attached to each other.

Phenol is a severe irritant and highly toxic systemic poison that is absorbed well by inhalation and through the skin. Respiratory Protection: Positive-pressure, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is recommended in response situations that involve exposure to potentially unsafe levels of phenol vapor.
The 3 most important groups of dietary phenolics are flavonoids, phenolic acids, and polyphenols.
Phenol (pH 8.0)
Phenols are organic compounds containing a benzene ring bonded to a hydroxyl group. They are also known as carbolic acids. Phenols react with active metals like sodium, and potassium to form phenoxide. This reaction of phenol with metals indicates its acidic nature.
Phenol is moderately soluble in water - about 8 g of phenol will dissolve in 100 g of water. If you try to dissolve more than this, you get two layers of liquid.
Examples of physical properties are: color, smell, freezing point, boiling point, melting point, infra-red spectrum, attraction (paramagnetic) or repulsion (diamagnetic) to magnets, opacity, viscosity and density. There are many more examples.
Physical properties include color, density, hardness, and melting and boiling points.
Phenols are much similar to alcohols but form much stronger hydrogen bonds than the alcohols. Hence, they are more soluble in water than alcohols and have a higher boiling point. Phenols occur in either the form of colourless liquids or white solids at room temperature and can be highly toxic and caustic in nature.
What are the chemical elements of phenol?
Phenol is an aromatic compound. The chemical formula of this organic compound is C6H6O. Phenol is also known as Carbolic acid. It consists of a hydroxyl group and a phenyl group attached to each other.
Phenol is an antiseptic and disinfectant used in a variety of settings. Phenol is an antiseptic and disinfectant.