Acidic nature of phenol

Phenols turn blue litmus red and react with metals liberating hydrogen. However they do not react with carbonates or bicarbonates.

Phenols behave as acids because of the presence of polar O-H group in them. They ionise in aqueous solutions to give H+ ions.

Phenols behave as acids

Phenols as well as phenoxide ion both are resonance stabilised. The various contributing structures of phenol and phenoxide ion are given below:

contributing structures of phenol and phenoxide ion

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