Alcohols undergo a number of reactions involving the cleavage of C - OH bond. However, phenols do not undergo reactions involving the cleavage of C -…

Alcohols undergo a number of reactions involving the cleavage of C - OH bond. However, phenols do not undergo reactions involving the cleavage of C - OH bond. Alcohols are weaker acids than water. Alcohols react with halogen acids to form the corresponding haloalkanes. Phenols are stronger acids than alcohols. A characteristic feature of phenols is that they undergo electrophilic substitution reactions such as halogenation, nitration, etc. Since - OH group is a strong activating group, phenol gives trisubstituted products during halogenation, nitration, etc.

What happens when phenol is treated with the following ?

$\displaystyle \mathrm{Br}_{2}$ water

Conc. $\displaystyle \mathrm{HNO}_{3}$

Write the mechanism of alcohol reacting as nucleophile in a reaction with $\displaystyle \mathrm{CH}_{3}^{\oplus}$.

Why do phenols not undergo reactions involving cleavage of $\displaystyle \mathrm{C}-\mathrm{OH}$ bond ?

How can you distinguish between Butan-$\displaystyle 1$-ol and $\displaystyle 2$-Methylpropan-$\displaystyle 2$-ol by using HCl in the presence of anhydrous $\displaystyle \mathrm{ZnCl}_{2}$ ?