question_answer 57)

  Phenol is less acidic than ....... (a) ethanol                          (b) o-nitrophenol (c) o-methylphenol         (d) o-methoxyphenol

Answer:

  (b) Electron-withdrawing groups such as -  increase the acid strength while electron-donating groups such as etc. decrease the acid strength w.r.t. phenol. Therefore, phenol is a weaker acid than o-nitrophenol, i.e., option (b) is correct.