NEET levelSingle correct optionDifficulty 1 of 3g2222
Four phenols are shown beside the options (the drawn compound is the parent phenol). Which structure is the weakest acid?
AStructure A
BStructure B
CStructure C
DStructure D
Answer: D
Electron-donating groups destabilise the phenoxide. p-Cresol (pKa about 10.3) is weaker than phenol (10.0); p-chlorophenol (9.4), m-nitrophenol (8.4) and p-nitrophenol (7.2) are stronger.