Given below are two statements:
Statement I :
The acidic strength of monosubstituted nitrophenol is higher than phenol because of electron withdrawing nitro group.
Statement II :
o-nitrophenol, m-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol will have same acidic strength as they have one nitro group attached to the phenolic ring.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
- A
Both Statement I and Statement II are incorrect.
- B
Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect.
- C
Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
- D
Both Statement I and Statement II are correct
The electron withdrawing nitro group stabilises the phenoxide ion through resonance and induction, increasing the acidic strength of phenol. Statement I is therefore correct.
The three isomers do not have the same acid strength. The nitro group at the ortho and para positions stabilises the phenoxide ion through resonance, while at the meta position only the inductive effect operates.
Observed order: p-nitrophenol o-nitrophenol m-nitrophenol phenol. So Statement II is incorrect.
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