Organic compounds that contain a hydroxyl group (–OH) bound directly to a carbon atom in a benzene ring. Unlike normal alcohols, phenols are acidic because of the influence of the aromatic ring. Thus, phenol itself (C6H5OH) ionizes in water:
Phenols are made by fusing a sulphonic acid salt with sodium hydroxide to form the sodium salt of the phenol. The free phenol is liberated by adding sulphuric acid.