Question

Why phenol is a weak acid?

Answer 1

• A weak acid is an acid that partially dissociate into it's ions in an aqueous solution.
• As phenol can donate a proton and behave as an acid.
• Phenoxide ion formed by the donation of proton, is stabilized due to delocalization of electrons.
• Negative charge on oxygen is delocalized in the ring, the more stable the ion is, the more likely is to form.
• Therefore donation of proton results phenol become stable, making it a weak acid.
• Resonance Structures of phenol