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Phenol reacts with **NaOH** but ethanol does NOT (with dilute aqueous NaOH). This is because:
ANaOH is not basic enough for either
BEthanol is volatile
CPhenol (pKa 10) is acidic enough to be deprotonated by hydroxide; ethanol (pKa 16) is a weaker acid than water — so equilibrium lies on the wrong side
DPhenol is a phenol, ethanol is an alcohol — they are different categories
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. Phenol (pKa 10) is acidic enough to be deprotonated by hydroxide; ethanol (pKa 16) is a weaker acid than water — so equilibrium lies on the wrong side
Phenol's pKa (~10) is below water's (~15.7), so OH⁻ readily deprotonates phenol → **phenol + NaOH → sodium phenoxide + H₂O**. Ethanol's pKa (~16) is *higher* than water's → the reverse reaction is favoured; **alkoxide + H₂O dominates over alcohol + OH⁻** under aqueous conditions.
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