Identify the compound with highest acidic strength from following.

Identify the compound with highest acidic strength from following.
  1. Ethanol
  2. t-Butyl alcohol
  3. Phenol
  4. p-Nitrophenol

Solution

Phenols show weak acidic character while alcohols are neutral. Electron-withdrawing groups (like $-\mathrm{NO}_2$ ) increase the acidity of substituted phenols. Hence, p-nitrophenol has the highest acidic strength among the given compound.

Asked in: MHT CET 2023 (10 May Shift 1)

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