MP Board · Class 12 · Chemistry · Alcohols, Phenols and EthersExplain why phenols are more acidic than alcohols.

Phenols are considerably more acidic than aliphatic alcohols because of the resonance stabilization of the phenoxide ion formed after the loss of a proton. When phenol loses a proton, the resulting phenoxide ion has its negative charge delocalized over the entire aromatic ring through resonance, which significantly stabilizes the anion. In contrast, the alkoxide ion formed from an alcohol lacks such resonance stabilization, and the electron-donating alkyl groups intensify the negative charge on the oxygen atom, destabilizing the alkoxide ion.