question_answer

Alcohols react with halogen acids as well as phosphorus halides to form haloalkanes but phenols do not form haloarenes. Explain.

Answer:

                In phenols, the C?O bond has a partial double bond character due to resonance. Therefore, it is not easily cleaved by the \[{{X}^{-}}\] ion of halogen acids or phosphorus halides. But the bond is apure single bond in alcohols and cleavage is therefore, possible. Thus, alcohols easily form haloalkanes while phenols do not form haloarenes.