Phenolic OH Group Reactions

1. Phenols as acids

The following reactions support the acidic nature of phenols:
    
(i) Reaction with metals: phenols react with metals such as Na or K to form salt and hydrogen gas is liberated.


    
(ii) Reaction with alkalies: Phenols are soluble in solutions of alkalies (NaOH or KOH).



However, they do not react with carbonate or bicarbonates.
    
(iii) Phenols turn blue litmus red: Phenols behave as acids because of the presence of polar O-H group in them. They ionize in aqueous solutions to give H+ ions.
    
2. Acylation

Phenols react with acid chlorides (in the presence of pyridine) or with acid anhydrides (in the presence of mineral acids like H₂SO₄ or base pyridine or sod. Acetate) to form esters.


    
3. Benzoylation

Phenols react with bonzoyl chloride in the presence of aqueous NaOH to form phenyl benzoate. The reaction is known as Schotten Baumann reaction.


    
4. Reaction with ammonia

Phenols react with ammonia at high temperature in the presence of anhydrous ZnCl₂. The reaction involves the replacement of –OH group with –NH₂ group.


    
5. Reaction with zinc dust

On distillation with zinc dust phenols get reduced to hydrocarbons.


    
6. Reaction with PCl₅

Phenols react with PCl₅ to produce triphenyl phosphate as the major product and a small amount of chlorobenzene.

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