What happens when phenol is mixed with water?
Phenol acts as a weak acid towards the water as the p K a of phenol is lesser than the p K a of water. Hence, an acid-base reaction occurs between phenol and water in which a water molecule abstracts a proton from phenol and produces a hydronium and a phenoxide ion.
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 organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bonded to benzene with the chemical formula C 6 H 6 O . Due to the presence of the hydroxyl group, these compounds are capable of forming hydrogen bonding with water. Hence, they dissolve in water.
Phenol has a limited solubility in water (8.3 g/100 ml). It is slightly acidic: The phenol molecule has weak tendencies to lose the H+ ion from the hydroxyl group, resulting in the highly water-soluble phenoxide anion C6H5O−.
Thus, hydrogen bonds are formed between water and phenol molecules which make phenol soluble in water. However, the aryl group attached to the hydroxyl group is hydrophobic in nature. Thus, the solubility of phenol decreases with the increase in the size of the aryl group.
The Explanation for the Acidity of Phenols
The acidity of phenols is due to their ability to lose hydrogen ions to form phenoxide ions. In a phenol molecule, the sp2hybridised carbon atom of the benzene ring attached directly to the hydroxyl group acts as an electron-withdrawing group.
Phenol is weakly acidic; in an aqueous solution, deprotonation can occur to form a phenoxide anion and a hydronium ion. This is shown below: Phenol is, however, more acidic than a typical alcohol such as ethanol.
Phenol is an organic compound appreciably soluble in water, with about 84.2 g dissolving in 1000 mL (0.895 M). Homogeneous mixtures of phenol and water at phenol to water mass ratios of ~2.6 and higher are possible.
As the hydrocarbon part of an alcohol gets larger, the alcohol becomes less water soluble and more soluble in nonpolar solvents. Phenol is somewhat soluble in water. It acts as a weak acid in water, so a solution of phenol will be slightly acidic.
Phenol removal from water requires a specialised tertiary process like Nyex Rosalox™ which localises the phenol contaminant onto the surface of a patented adsorbent media. A low electrical current is applied to the media bed which oxidises the organic chemical, leaving the clean water to flow from the system.
What is the reaction equation for phenol and water?
Considering the reaction of phenol in water C6H5OH + H2O ⇌ C6H5O- + H3O+ Ka = 1.3 x 10-10 a.
Phenol preparation
Take 100g phenol bottle to fume hood, open it, and pour in ~ 100 ml 50 mM TrisCl pH 8. Close lid tightly and shake gently. Leave to stand for an hour or two until the phenol liquifies and the phases are separated.
For example, in solution in water: 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.
Water-Saturated Phenol, pH 6.6.
In aqueous solutions, phenols are weakly acidic and lower the pH of a solution. Sodium hydroxide can be used to fully deprotonate a phenol. Water soluble alcohols do not change the pH of the solution and are considered neutral.
Answer and Explanation: So, phenols form acidic solution in water. So, carboxylic acid forms acidic solution in water.
Phenol (pH 8.0)
Phenol is considered to be quite toxic to humans via oral exposure. Anorexia, progressive weight loss, diarrhea, vertigo, salivation, a dark coloration of the urine, and blood and liver effects have been reported in chronically (long-term) exposed humans.
Properties of phenol as an acid
The pH of a typical dilute solution of phenol in water is likely to be around 5 - 6 (depending on its concentration). That means that a very dilute solution isn't really acidic enough to turn litmus paper fully red. Litmus paper is blue at pH 8 and red at pH 5.
What does phenol easily dissolve in?
It is soluble in water and very slightly soluble in alcohol.
Exercise 2.13: Both aniline and phenol are insoluble in pure water.
Since alcohols and phenols can participate in hydrogen bonding while hydrocarbons cannot alcohols are able to interact with water molecules more easily than hydrocarbons of comparable molecular masses.
When phenol reacts with chloroform and an alkali like NaOH, the compound formed is salicylaldehyde.
In aqueous solutions, phenols are weakly acidic and lower the pH of a solution. Sodium hydroxide can be used to fully deprotonate a phenol. Water soluble alcohols do not change the pH of the solution and are considered neutral.
Considering the reaction of phenol in water C6H5OH + H2O ⇌ C6H5O- + H3O+ Ka = 1.3 x 10-10 a.
Answer and Explanation: So, phenols form acidic solution in water. So, carboxylic acid forms acidic solution in water.
In the presence of air, phenols are slowly oxidized to dark-colored mixtures containing quinones.
phenol is a weak acid.
Phenoxide ion is more polar than phenol itself. Hence is more soluble in water.
How do you reduce phenol in water?
Phenol removal from water requires a specialised tertiary process like Nyex Rosalox™ which localises the phenol contaminant onto the surface of a patented adsorbent media. A low electrical current is applied to the media bed which oxidises the organic chemical, leaving the clean water to flow from the system.
Explanation: At intermediate compositions and below the upper critical solution temperature of about 339 K mixtures of phenol and water separate into two liquid phases. When such a sample is heated above the upper critical solution temperature, phenol and water are completely miscible.