Practice free Alcohol, phenol & ether (Chemistry) NEET multiple-choice questions online with instant answers and detailed explanations. No login required.
Phenol is the common name for the simplest hydroxy derivative of benzene. Why is it also an accepted IUPAC name?
The text explicitly states: 'The simplest hydroxy derivative of benzene is phenol. It is its common name and also an accepted IUPAC name.'
Which of the following compounds is an example of a benzylic alcohol?
Benzylic alcohols are those in which the —OH group is attached to an $\text{sp}^3$-hybridised carbon atom next to an aromatic ring. $\text{C}_6\\text{H}_5\\text{CH}_2\\text{OH}$ (benzyl alcohol) fits this description. $\text{CH}_2\\text{=CH-OH}$ is a vinylic alcohol, $\text{CH}_3\\text{CH(OH)CH}_3$ is a secondary propanol, and $\text{CH}_2\\text{=CH-CH}_2\\text{OH}$ is an allylic alcohol.
When methyl phenyl ether (anisole) is heated with HI, what are the major products formed?
The C-O bond in ethers can be cleaved by hydrogen halides. In the case of an alkyl-aryl ether like anisole, the cleavage occurs such that the halide attacks the alkyl group. The context states 'the attack by I- ion breaks O–CH3 bond to form CH3I. Phenols do not react further to give halides because the $sp^2$ hybridised carbon of phenol cannot undergo nucleophilic substitution reaction needed for conversion to the halide.' Thus, phenol and iodomethane are formed.
The alkoxy group (-OR) in aromatic ethers directs incoming electrophiles to which positions?
The NCERT text explicitly states, 'The alkoxy group (-OR) is ortho, para directing and activates the aromatic ring towards electrophilic substitution in the same way as in phenol.'
Anisole undergoes bromination with bromine in ethanoic acid even in the absence of a Lewis acid catalyst like iron (III) bromide. What is the reason for this observation?
The context mentions, 'anisole undergoes bromination with bromine in ethanoic acid even in the absence of iron (III) bromide catalyst. It is due to the activation of benzene ring by the methoxy group.' This activation makes the ring sufficiently electron-rich to react with the electrophile without a stronger catalyst.
Which of the following contributes to the higher electron density at ortho and para positions in an aromatic ether during electrophilic substitution?
Similar to phenols, where '-OH group directs the incoming group to ortho and para positions in the ring as these positions become electron rich due to the resonance effect caused by –OH group', the alkoxy group in ethers also shows a strong positive resonance effect, donating electron density to the ortho and para positions, thus activating them for electrophilic attack.
If an ether with a tertiary alkyl group on one side and a methyl group on the other ($CH_3OC(CH_3)_3$) reacts with HI, which bond will preferentially cleave?
While the NCERT example shows specific cleavage at the less hindered side for $S_N2$, for tertiary alkyl groups, the reaction with HI often proceeds via an $S_N1$ mechanism. The tertiary carbocation formed is highly stable, leading to the formation of the tertiary alkyl iodide. The context implies the general principle of bond cleavage with HI.
Considering the reaction of methyl phenyl ether (anisole) with HI, why is iodobenzene not a product?
The text states: 'Phenols do not react further to give halides because the $sp^2$ hybridised carbon of phenol cannot undergo nucleophilic substitution reaction needed for conversion to the halide.' This directly explains why iodobenzene is not formed from the phenyl group.
In the electrophilic substitution reaction of anisole with bromine in ethanoic acid, what is the major product obtained and in what yield?
The NCERT text explicitly states: 'Para isomer is obtained in 90% yield' for the bromination of anisole.
Which of the following statements is true regarding the reactivity of the aromatic ring in ethers towards electrophilic substitution compared to ethers?
The text states, 'The alkoxy group (-OR) ... activates the aromatic ring towards electrophilic substitution in the same way as in phenol.'
Ready to ace NEET?
Free access · No credit card required
Yes. You can attempt every Alcohol, phenol & ether question on this page for free without logging in, and check the correct answer with a detailed explanation instantly.
No account is required to attempt questions and view answers. A free account adds bookmarks, personal notes, and progress tracking.
The bank mixes NEET previous year questions (PYQs) with practice questions, each tagged with its exam appearances where applicable.