Question
Explain why is OH group in phenols more strongly held as compared to OH group in alcohols.
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Answer
In phenols, the -OH group is attached to $sp^2$ hybridised carbon of an aromatic ring. The carbon- oxygen bond length (136 pm) in phenol is slightly less than that in methanol. This is due to partial double bond character on account of the conjugation of unshared electron pair of oxygen with the aromatic ring whereas in alcohols, the oxygen of the -OH group is attached to carbon by a sigma bond formed by the overlap of a $sp^3$ hybridised orbital of carbon with a $sp^3$ hybridised orbital of oxygen. That is why -OH group in phenol is more strongly held as compared to alcohol.
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