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In the presence of air, phenol are slowly oxidised to dark coloured mixture containing quinones. What is the reaction?
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In the presence of air, phenol are slowly oxidised to dark coloured mi...
Phenol Oxidation in the Presence of Air


Reaction

Phenol molecules react with oxygen in the air to form a mixture containing quinone compounds. The reaction can be represented by the following equation:
2 C6H5OH + O2 → 2 C6H4O2 + 2 H2O


Mechanism

The oxidation of phenol occurs in several steps:

  1. Phenol molecules react with oxygen to form a peroxy intermediate.

  2. The peroxy intermediate rearranges to form a hydroperoxide intermediate.

  3. The hydroperoxide intermediate undergoes homolysis to form a phenoxy radical and a hydroxyl radical.

  4. The phenoxy radical reacts with oxygen to form a peroxyl radical.

  5. The peroxyl radical reacts with another phenoxy radical to form a dimeric quinone compound.

  6. The quinone compound undergoes further reactions to form a complex mixture of dark-coloured compounds.



Factors Affecting the Reaction

Several factors can affect the rate and extent of phenol oxidation:

  • Concentration of phenol: The rate of oxidation increases with increasing concentration of phenol.

  • Temperature: The rate of oxidation increases with increasing temperature.

  • pH: The rate of oxidation is higher in acidic or neutral conditions than in alkaline conditions.

  • Catalysts: Certain metal ions, such as Cu2+ and Fe3+, can catalyze the oxidation reaction.

  • Presence of other compounds: The presence of other organic compounds can compete with phenol for reaction with oxygen, reducing the rate of oxidation.



Applications

The oxidation of phenol can be used in several industrial applications, such as:

  • Production of quinone compounds, which are used in the manufacture of dyes, pharmaceuticals, and other chemicals.

  • Removal of phenol from wastewater, by oxidizing it to less toxic compounds.

  • Synthesis of polymers, such as polycarbonates and epoxies, which require quinone compounds as intermediates.

Community Answer
In the presence of air, phenol are slowly oxidised to dark coloured mi...
Phenol + o2 -----------> benzoquinon (pink colored )(( for benzoquinone structure cyclo hexane has only two double bond at 2 and 6 positions and oxygen is attached with double bond at 1 and 4 position))
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In the presence of air, phenol are slowly oxidised to dark coloured mixture containing quinones. What is the reaction?
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