AIIMS 2019 Chemistry Phenols MCQ Question
OH group is not available to form a hydrogen bond with water due to presence of intramolecular H⁻bonding. Therefore, o-nitrophenol is hardly soluble in water and m- and p-nitrophenol are soluble.
Correct Answer
Detailed Explanation
In o-nitrophenol, the intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the hydroxyl group (–OH) and the nitro group (–NO₂) restricts the availability of the –OH group to interact with water (H₂O), resulting in lower solubility. In contrast, m-nitrophenol and p-nitrophenol do not exhibit such intramolecular hydrogen bonding, allowing their –OH groups to effectively engage in hydrogen bonding with H₂O, thus enhancing their solubility. Other options are not relevant as they do not provide correct or applicable information regarding the solubility of nitrophenols in water.
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