Bromine Water Test for Phenols

Objectives:
• To examine the physical and chemical properties
of representative alcohols, thiols, phenols, and
ethers.
• To make the comparison between the different
types of alcohols and phenols thru their physical
and chemical properties.
Procedure:
• Place 5 drops of aqueous phenol into a clean and
dry test tube.
• Add 10 drops of bromine water until a change in
color is observed.
Result:

Bromine Aqueous
White precipitate
water phenol
Bromine Water Test
• a quantitative test for the presence of
unsaturation (carbon to carbon double and
triple bonds) and phenols.
• if bromine water is added to a solution of phenol
in water, the bromine water is decolorized and a
white precipitate is formed.
Phenol

• A benzene ring undergoes substitution reactions in

which the hydroxyl group of phenol activates the ring to
electrophilic substitution; ring electrons are
attacked by positive ions.
• The –OH group has a 2-4 directing effect; incoming
groups will tend to go into the 2- position (next door to
the –OH group) or the 4- position (opposite the –OH
group).
• The precipitate is 2,4,6-tribromophenol.