Question

Phenol when first treated with concentrated ${\text{H}}_{2}S{O}_4$ and then with concentrated $HN{O}_3$ gives

• A. $2,4,6-\text{Trinitrophenol}$
• B. $\text{o-Nitrophenol}$
• C. $\text{p-Nitrophenol}$
• D. $\text{Nitrobenzene}$

Answer 1

The correct option is A $2,4,6-\text{Trinitrophenol}$


Phenol first reacts with concentrated sulphuric acid which converts it to $\text{phenol-2,4-disulphonic acid}$ and then with concentrated nitric acid to get $2,4,6-\text{Trinitrophenol}$. It is beacause $-OH$ is a strong activating group towards electrophilic substitution. So it forms $2,4,6-\text{Trinitrophenol}$ instead of ortho or para nitro phenols.