Answer: Secondary alcohol.
- A Methanol
- B Primary alcohol
- C Secondary alcohol
- D Tertiary alcohol
Correct answer: C. Secondary alcohol
Explanation: Secondary alcohols oxidise to ketones.
The phenoxide ion's negative charge spreads into the aromatic ring through resonance, lowering its energy and making phenol give up its proton more easily; an alkoxide ion (from a plain alcohol) has nowhere to delocalise the charge, making alcohols far less acidic.
Concept context
Oxygen-containing organic compounds. Understand the acidic nature of phenols, reactions of alcohols (dehydration, oxidation, esterification), and properties of ethers. Includes industrial applications and named reactions.