Arrange the following compounds in correct order of acidic strength.

H C O O H > C H_{3} C O O H > C_{6} H_{5} O H > C_{2} H_{5} - O H

Right on! Give the BNAT exam to get a 100% scholarship for BYJUS courses

C H_{3} C O O H > H C O O H > C_{6} H_{5} O H > C_{2} H_{5} - O H

No worries! We‘ve got your back. Try BYJU‘S free classes today!

C_{6} H_{5} O H > H C O O H > C H_{3} C O O H > C_{2} H_{5} - O H

No worries! We‘ve got your back. Try BYJU‘S free classes today!

None of these

No worries! We‘ve got your back. Try BYJU‘S free classes today!

Open in App

Solution

The correct option is A $H C O O H > C H_{3} C O O H > C_{6} H_{5} O H > C_{2} H_{5} - O H$

Acids are more acidic than alcohols therefore both acetic acid $(C H_{3} C O O H)$ and formic acid $(H C O O H)$ are more acidic than ethanol $(C_{2} H_{5} O H)$ and phenol $(C_{2} H_{5} O H)$ .
When substituent group is electron releasing then the acidity decreases. Hence acetic acid $(C H_{3} C O O H)$ is less acidic than formic acid $(H C O O H)$ .
Phenol is more acidicthan ethanol due to resonance stabilisation of phenoxide ion $(C_{6} H_{5} O^{-})$ .
Thus the correct increasing order of acidic strength is given by $C_{2} H_{5} O H < C_{6} H_{5} O H < C H_{3} C O O H < H C O O H$ .

Suggest Corrections