Phenol and bromine waterEdexcel International A Level Chemistry: Mind map

Exam questions on Phenol and bromine water

1. A student adds bromine water to aqueous phenol, C₆H₅OH, at room temperature. The orange colour of the bromine water disappears and a white precipitate forms.
   Write an equation for the reaction and name its type.2 marks
2. Benzene does not react with bromine water. It reacts with bromine only when a catalyst of anhydrous iron(III) bromide is present. Phenol, however, reacts with aqueous bromine at room temperature with no catalyst.
   Explain why phenol reacts without a catalyst but benzene needs one.2 marks
3. A student treats 0.470 g of phenol, C₆H₅OH, with excess bromine water at room temperature and obtains 1.24 g of dry 2,4,6-tribromophenol, C₆H₂Br₃OH. The OH group in phenol is attached directly to the benzene ring.
   Explain why phenol reacts with bromine water more readily than benzene.3 marks