Lesson Plan

Lesson : Phenol

Aim :

To study the reactions of phenol and the uses of hydroxy compounds.

Learning Outcomes :

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

explain the relative acidity of water, ethanol and phenol

state the reactions of phenol with sodium, sodium hydroxide and benzoyl chloride.

explain the tests for phenol

state the uses of some hydroxy compounds.

Assumed prior knowledge :

Students should already be familiar with :

1. the nomenclature and structure of alcohols

2. the acidic nature of alcohols

3. the reaction of acids with sodium and sodium hydroxide

4. the general structure of esters and benzene.

Underlying Principles

1. Making the invisible, visible

2. Enabling students to know what to look for.

Differentiation

Questions in the student notes are designed to enable all students to complete the activity.
The pop-up answers are provided for the students to view when they have considered their
responses. Worksheet questions include questions that require recall, understanding and
application of the new concepts learned.

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 1 of 5

Development of Lesson :

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1 Set Induction.
(Ascertaining prior • Teacher to get students to recall the
knowledge and acidic property of alcohols.
introducing lesson • Teacher to point out lesson objectives for
topic for the day). the day.

2 Student Activity Teacher to go through Activities 1 - 3 with • Courseware

the students.

Activity 1 : Acidic nature of phenol

Students get to study the relative acidities
of ethanol, water and phenol. They also
learn that ethanol is a weaker acid than
water because of the electron donating
property of the alkyl group while phenol
is more acidic than water because of the
delocalisation of electrons in the
phenoxide ion.

Activity 2 : Reactions of phenol

Students get to view the reaction of

phenol with sodium, sodium hydroxide,
benzoyl chloride, bromine water and
aqueous neutral iron(III) chloride.

Activity 3 : Uses of hydroxy

compounds

Students get to find out the uses of

phenol and some hydroxy compounds.

3 Evaluation • Students to answer questions in the • Worksheet

student worksheet on their own.

4 Extension activity • Students to read up reference materials • References

on their own.

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 2 of 5

Worksheet Answers

1. Acidic nature of phenol

1.1 a. CH2OH OH

, H2O,

b. OH OH OH
CH3 O2N NO2
, ,

NO2
1.2 O− O− O−

, ,

OCH3 CN

Reason: OCH3 donates electrons and increases the negative charge.

CN withdraws electrons and decreases the negative charge.

Order of decreasing acidity:

OH OH OH

, ,

CN OCH3

1.3 a. Phenol dissolves in aqueous sodium hydroxide but cyclohexanol does

not.

b. OH O−Na+

+ NaOH + H2O

c. Phenol is more acidic than cyclohexanol.

Phenol reacts with sodium hydroxide to produce water but cyclohexanol does
not.

d. Phenol is a weaker acid than carbonic acid and does not liberate carbon
dioxide from sodium carbonate.

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 3 of 5

2. Reactions of phenol

2.1 a. PCl5 and HCl.

b. Br2(aq) and H2/Ni

2.2 O - Na+

OH O - K+
O2N NO2
Na

NO2 OH

OH OH
OCOCH3
NO2
aq. Cl2
+

NO2 OH
Cl Cl

Cl

2.3 X is an aromatic compound because the ratio of C to H is approximately 1.

X is not an alcohol because it is only slightly soluble in water and very soluble in NaOH.
X is a phenol.
OH OH OH
CH3
X= or or
CH3
CH3

OH O−Na+
CH3 CH3
+ NaOH + H2O

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 4 of 5

3. Uses of hydroxy compound

3. a. Solvent and fuel

b. Stage : Name of reaction: Hydrogenation

Reagent: H2 and Ni

Stage : Name of reaction: Oxidation

Reagent: Concentrated HNO3

© 2004 Ministry of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. Page 5 of 5