Hydrogen bonds are much stronger than these, and therefore it takes more energy to separate alcohol molecules than it does to separate alkane molecules. This the main reason for higher boiling points in alcohols.

Where you have isomers, the more branched the chain, the lower the boiling point tends to be. Van der Waals dispersion forces are smaller for shorter molecules and only operate over very short distances between one molecule and its neighbors.

Phenol has the higher boiling point about 181.7 °C, because in phenol the -Oh group is attached to an unsaturated carbon atom due to which it forms stronger hydrogen bonding than the alcohols and so phenol is more soluble in water and need more energy to break the H-bonds which increases its boiling point.

Phenols are similar to alcohols but form stronger hydrogen bonds. For example, phenol itself is used (in low concentrations) as a disinfectant in household cleaners and in mouthwash. Phenol may have been the first surgical antiseptic.

Melting and boiling points The reason for the higher values for phenol is in part due to permanent dipole-dipole attractions due to the electronegativity of the oxygen – but is mainly due to hydrogen bonding.

Alkylation of phenols by alcohols gave a mixture of 0- and C-alkylated products under the same reaction conditions. 0-alkylation and C-alkylation are parallel reactions. However, thoria-catalyzed formation of aralkyl ethers by alkylation of phenol with alcohols such as methanol (5) and ethanol (6) is known.

The alcohols are a class of organic compounds that hold at least one hydroxyl functional group that is attached to a carbon atom. Phenols, on the other hand, are organic compounds consisting of a hydroxyl group which is attached to an aromatic system of hydrocarbons (arene).

Phenol is not an alcohol ! It is a Secondary Alcohol because the Carbon atom on which the -OH group is attached is linked to two other carbon atons ,making it a Secondary Alcohol.

Phenol is more soluble in NaOH than in water is because phenol is slightly acidic. making the sodium phenoxide extra stable. to form a Hydronium ion (H30). phenol with sodium is a slower reaction because phenol is a weak acid.

Alcohols and Phenols If this carbon is bonded to one other carbon atom, it is a primary (1o) alcohol. If this carbon is bonded to two other carbons, it is a secondary (2o) alcohol. If it is bonded to three other carbons, it is a tertiary (3o) alcohol.

Phenol is more acidic than alcohols due to stabilisation of phenoxide ion through resonance. Presence of electron withdrawing group increases the acidity of phenol by , stabilising phenoxide ion while presence of electron releasing group decreases the acidity of phenol by destabilising phenoxide ion.