Revision Notes For Class 12 CBSE Chemistry, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers - Topperlearning
Revision Notes For Class 12 CBSE Chemistry, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers - Topperlearning
Revision Notes For Class 12 CBSE Chemistry, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers - Topperlearning
2. Preparation of alcohols
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3. Preparation of phenols
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The boiling points of alcohols and phenols increase with increase in the number of
carbon atoms. This is because of increase in van der Waals forces with increase in the
surface area.
In alcohols, the boiling points decrease with increase in branching in the carbon chain.
This is because of decrease in van der Waals forces with decrease in the surface area.
The solubility of alcohols decreases with increase in the size of alkyl/aryl (hydrophobic)
groups.
b. Esterification:
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2 RX + H O
ROH + HX
Lucas reagent
2
c. Oxidation:
Cu,573K
or
CrO3
or
PCC
Secondary
Cu,573K
or
CrO3
alcohol
Ketone
Cu,573K
or
KMnO4
Tertiary alcohol Alkene
Acidified potassium permanganate
Alcohol
Carboxylic acid
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9. Acidic nature
a. Phenol > H2O > Primary alcohol > Secondary alcohol > Tertiary alcohol
The acidic character of alcohols is due to the polar nature of the OH bond.
The alkyl group is an electron-releasing group (CH3, C2H5), or it has electron-releasing inductive
effect (+I effect).
Due to the +I effect of alkyl groups, the electron density on oxygen increases.
This decreases the polarity of the OH bond. Hence, the acid strength decreases.
b. Phenol is more acidic than alcohol because
In phenol, the hydroxyl group is directly attached to the sp2 hybridised carbon of the benzene
ring which acts as an electron-withdrawing group. Whereas in alcohols, the hydroxyl group is
attached to the alkyl group which has an electron-releasing inductive effect.
In phenol, the hydroxyl group is directly attached to the sp2 hybridised carbon of the benzene
ring. Whereas in alcohols, the hydroxyl group is attached to the sp3 hybridised carbon of the
alkyl group. The sp2 hybridised carbon has higher electronegativity than the sp3 hybridised
carbon. Thus, the polarity of the OH bond of phenols is higher than that of alcohols. Hence,
the ionisation of phenols is higher than that of alcohols.
The ionisation of an alcohol and a phenol occurs as follows:
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In alkoxide ion, the negative charge is localised on oxygen, while in phenoxide ion, the charge is
delocalised.
The delocalisation of the negative charge makes the phenoxide ion more stable and favours the
ionisation of phenol. Although there is charge delocalisation in phenol, its resonance structures have
charge separation due to which the phenol molecule is less stable than the phenoxide ion.
c. In substituted phenols, the presence of electron-withdrawing groups such as the nitro group
enhances the acidic strength of phenol. On the other hand, electron-releasing groups, such as
alkyl groups, decrease the acidic strength.
It is because electron-withdrawing groups lead to effective delocalisation of the negative charge in
the phenoxide ion.
10. How to distinguish between some important pair of organic compounds
a. Phenol and alcohol:
Phenol on reaction with neutral FeCl3 gives purple colour, whereas alcohols do not give purple
colour.
6C6H5OH + Fe3+ [Fe(OC6H5)6]3 + 6H+
Purple colour
b. Primary, secondary and tertiary alcohol:
Lucas reagent test:
conc.HCl ZnCl
2 RCl + H O
ROH + HCl
Lucas reagent
2
If it is a primary alcohol, then no turbidity appears at room temperature. Turbidity appears only on
heating.
If it is a secondary alcohol, then turbidity appears in 5 minutes.
If it is a tertiary alcohol, then turbidity appears immediately.
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b. Boiling points:
Ethers have much lower boiling points than alcohols. This is due to the presence of hydrogen
bonding in alcohols. Hydrogen bonding is absent in ethers.
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b. Conversion 2:
R'
R'
H2O
H2O
RCHO R 'MgX
RCH OMgX
RCH OMgX Mg(OH)X
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