Answer to Question #300723 in Organic Chemistry for Eric

Question

Write the mechanism of chlorination of phenol

Answer 1

Initially, phenol is chlorinated to form either 2– or 4–chlorophenol. Then 2–chlorophenol is chlorinated to form either 2,4– or 2,6–dichlorophenol, while 4–chlorophenol to form 2,4–dichloro- phenol. ... The 2,4,6–trichlorophenol reacts with aqueous chlorine to form a mixture of non-phenolic oxidation products.