Chemguide: Support for CIE A level Chemistry

This statement deals with some properties of phenol.

Before you go on, you should find and read the statement in your copy of the syllabus.

Important background

First read the page introducing phenol.

Statements 10.4(d)(i) and (ii)

These deal with the reactions of phenol with bases and with metallic sodium. You will find this covered on the page about the acidity of phenol.

Acidity is also covered in statement 10.4(e), but you can't understand these reactions without knowing something about it now. So read all of this page.

The syllabus asks for the reactions with bases - it does not just ask for sodium hydroxide. So you must be aware that phenol won't react with bases such as carbonates or hydrogencarbonates.

In CIE exam questions, you are probably more likely to be asked for these reactions in more complicated molecules than in phenol itself. You can assume that these reactions will be the same even if other things are attached to the benzene ring as well as the -OH group.

Statement 10.4(d)(iii)

This is about the reaction of phenol with diazonium salts. Since you have probably never heard of such things at this point, I shall leave this until the reaction comes up again in statement 10.7(e).

Statement 10.4(d)(iv)

You will find everything you need on the page about ring reactions of phenol.

Again, be aware that you may well be asked about these reactions in more complicated molecules where there are other things attached to the ring. And again, you can assume that the reactions will still be the same - with the -OH group directing bromine atoms or nitro groups into the 2- (next door) and 4- (opposite) positions.

Obviously, if there is something else already present in one or more of those positions, then an incoming group can't go there.

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