The ascending order of acidity of -OH group in the following compounds is : (A) Bu−OH (B) (see structure) (C) (see structure) (D) (see structure) (E) (see structure)
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :BCDE
(A)(A) < (D) < (C) < (B) < (E)
(B)(C) < (A) < (D) < (B) < (E)
(C)(C) < (D) < (B) < (A) < (E)
(D)(A) < (C) < (D) < (B) < (E)✓ Correct
Answer: (D)
Solution
Acidity of the −OH group tracks how well the conjugate base (the alkoxide/phenoxide) is stabilized. Bu–OH (A), an aliphatic alcohol with no resonance stabilization, is the least acidic. An electron-donating −OCH3 substituent (C) destabilizes the phenoxide relative to plain phenol (D), so (C) is less acidic than (D). An electron-withdrawing −NO2 group (B) stabilizes the phenoxide by resonance, making it more acidic than phenol, and two such groups (E) stabilize it further still. The ascending order is (A)<(C)<(D)<(B)<(E).
JEE Main · 2024 · 27 Jan 2024 · Shift 1 · Single correct option