Question

Given, resonating structures of phenol :


Choose the correct order of stability of these structures:

• A. $\left(I\right)=\left(V\right)>\left(IV\right)=\left(III\right)>\left(II\right)$
• B. $\left(I\right)>\left(V\right)<\left(II\right)=\left(IV\right)<\left(III\right)$
• C. $\left(I\right)=\left(V\right)>\left(II\right)=\left(IV\right)>\left(III\right)$
• D. $\left(V\right)>\left(I\right)>\left(II\right)=\left(IV\right)>\left(III\right)$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $\left(I\right)=\left(V\right)>\left(II\right)=\left(IV\right)>\left(III\right)$

Among the resonating structures of phenol, structure $\left(I\right)$ and $\left(V\right)$ are the most stable because they are neutral and all other structures have charges on them.

Structure $\left(II\right)$ and $\left(IV\right)$ are having same number of covalent bonds and have similar distance between the unlike charges. So, they are equally stable.

Structure $\left(III\right)$ is least stable because the separation of unlike charges is highest in the structure.
Therefore, the correct order of stability of resonating structures of phenol is: