Chemistry

Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers

Question:

The carbon-oxygen bond in phenol is slightly stronger than that in methanol. Why?

Answer:

This can be explained as under:
(i)In phenol, the conjugation of unshared electron pairs over oxygen with aromatic ring results in partial double bond character in C – O bond.
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-46
In methanol, no such conjugation (resonance) is possible.
(ii) In phenol, oxygen is attached to sp2 hybridised carbon while in methanol, oxygen attached to sp2 hybridised carbon. An sp2  hybridised carbon is more electronegative (because of greater 5-character) than sp3 hybridised carbon atom. Therefore, the bond between oxygen and sp2 hybridised carbon is more stable than the bond between oxygen and sp2, hybridised orbital.

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Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers

Q 1.

The carbon-oxygen bond in phenol is slightly stronger than that in methanol. Why?

Q 2.

Assertion (A): Boiling points of alcohols and ethers are high.
Reason (R): They can form intermolecular hydrogen bonding.

Q 3.

What happens when benzene diazonium chloride is heated with water?

Q 4.

Explain a process in which a biocatalyst is used in industrial preparation of a compound known to you.

Q 5.

Name the enzymes and write the reactions involved in the preparation of ethanol from sucrose by fermentation.

Q 6.

Explain why is OH group in phenols more strongly held as compared to OH group in alcohols.

Q 7.

Arrange the following compounds in decreasing order of acidity:
H2O, R-OH, HC = CH

Q 8.

Show how would you synthesise the following alcohols from appropriate alkanes?
ncert-solutions-for-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-and-ether-42

Q 9.

Explain why are low molecular mass alcohols soluble in water?

Q 10.

Give reason for the higher boiling point of ethanol in comparison to methoxymethane.

Q 11.

When phenol is treated with bromine water, white precipitate is obtained. Give the structure and the name of the compound formed.

Q 12.

Assertion (A): Bond angle in ethers is slightly less than the tetrahedral angle. Reason (R): There is a repulsion between the two bulky (-R) groups.

Q 13.

Assertion (A): Ethanol is a weaker acid than phenol.
Reason (R): Sodium ethoxide may be prepared by the reaction of ethanol with aqueous NaOH.

Q 14.

Classify the following as primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols.
ncert-solutions-for-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-and-ether-1
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Q 15.

Which of the following species can act as the strongest base?
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-12

Q 16.

Explain why alcohols and ethers of comparable molecular mass have different boiling points.

Q 17.

Which of the following compounds are/is aromatic alcohol?  
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-6

Q 18.

Write structures of the compounds whose IUPAC names are as follows:
(i)2-Methylbutan-2-ol
(ii)l-Phcnylpropan-2-ol
(iii)3,5-DimethyIhexane-l,3,5-triol
(iv)2,3-Dicthylphenol
(v)1-Ethoxypropane
(vi)2-Ethoxy-3-methylpentane
(vii) Cyclohexylmethanol
(viii) 3-Cyclohexylpcntan-3-ol
(ix)Cyclopcnt-3-en-l-ol
(x)4-ChIoro-3-ethylbutan-l-ol

Q 19.

Name the factors responsible for the solubility of alcohols in water.

Q 20.

Why is the reactivity of all three classes of alcohols with cone. HCl and ZnCl2 (Lucas reagent) different?

Q 21.

Write the structures of the isomers of alcohols with molecular formula C4H10O. Which one of these isomers exhibits optical activity?

Q 22.

Explain why is O = C = O nonpolar while R – O – R is polar.

Q 23.

Identify aliylic alcohols in the above examples.

Q 24.

Write the IUPAC name of the compound given below.
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-25

Q 25.

Explain why is p-nitrophenol more acidic than phenol?

Q 26.

Assertion (A): IUPAC name of the compound
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-57
Reason (R): In IUPAC nomenclature, ether is regarded as hydrocarbon derivative in which a hydrogen atom is replaced by -OR or -OAr group [where R = alkyl group and Ar = aryl group]

Q 27.

Write the mechanism of the reaction of HI with methoxymethane.

Q 28.

How can propan-2-one be converted into tert-butyl alcohol?

Q 29.

In Kolbe's reaction, instead of phenol, phenoxide ion is treated with carbon dioxide. Why?

Q 30.

Write the reactions of Williamson synthesis of 2-ethoxy-3-methylpentane starting from ethanol and 3-methylpentan-2-ol.

Q 31.

What is denatured alcohol?

Q 32.

Assertion (A): p-Nitrophcnol is more acidic than phenol.
Reason (R): Nitro group helps in the stabilization of the phenoxide ion by dispersal of negative charge due to resonance.

Q 33.

While separating a mixture of ortho and para nitrophenols by steam distillation, name the isomer which will be steam volatile. Give reason.

Q 34.

Phenol can be distinguished from ethanol by the reactions with ………….
(a) Br2/water (b) Na
(c) Neutral FeCl3 (d) All of these

Q 35.

Suggest a reagent for conversion of ethanol to ethanal.

Q 36.

Preparation of alcohols from alkenes involves the electrophilic attack on alkene carbon atom. Explain its mechanism.

Q 37.

Give two reactions that show the acidic nature of phenol. Compare its acidity with that of ethanol.

Q 38.

Mark the correct increasing order of reactivity of the following compounds with HBr/HCl.
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-15

Q 39.

Which of the following reagents can be used to oxidize primary alcohols to aldehydes?
(a) CrO3 in anhydrous medium
(b) KMnO4 in acidic medium
(c) Pyridinium chlorochromate
(d) Heat in the presence of Cu at 573 K

Q 40.

Match the starting materials given in Column I with the products formed by these (Column II) in the reaction with HI.
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-50
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-51

Q 41.

Assertion (A): Phenol forms 2,4, 6-tribromophenol on treatment with Br2 in carbon disulphide at 273 K.
Reason (R): Bromine polarizes in carbon disulphide.

Q 42.

Write the mechanism of the reaction of HI with methoxybenzene.

Q 43.

Write structures of the products of the following reactions:
ncert-solutions-for-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-and-ether-11

Q 44.

Explain how does the – OH group attached to a carbon of benzene ring activate it towards electrophilic substitution?

Q 45.

Suggest a reagent for the following conversion.
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-chemistry-alcohols-phenols-ethers-28

Q 46.

Out of o-nitrophenol and o-cresol which is more acidic?

Q 47.

Explain why nucleophilic substitution reactions are not very common in phenols.

Q 48.

Arrange water, ethanol and, phenol in increasing order of acidity and give reason for your answer.

Q 49.

Assertion (A): Phenols give o-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol on nitration with cone. HNO3 and H2SO4 mixture.
Reason (R): -OH group in phenol is o-,p-directing.

Q 50.

Write the names of reagents and equations for the preparation of the following ethers by Williamson's synthesis:
(i)1-Propoxypropane
(ii)Ethoxybenzene
(iii)2-Methoxy-2-methylpropane
(iv)1-Methoxyethane