1. Tardigrade
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  3. Chemistry
  4. The acidity of compounds I-IV in water I. ethanol II. acetic acid III. phenol IV. acetonitrile follows the order

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Q. The acidity of compounds $I-IV$ in water
$I.$ ethanol $II.$ acetic acid
$III.$ phenol $IV.$ acetonitrile follows the order

KVPYKVPY 2017Alcohols Phenols and Ethers

Solution:

The acidity of compounds in water depends upon the ease with which it can lose $H^+$ ions. Acetic acid is the strongest acid as the negative charge on carboxylate ion (conjugate base) is delocalised over two oxygen atoms. Hence, $H^+$ ion can be easily lost. The next strongest acidic compound phenol. This is because the phenoxide ion is resonance stabilised. This easily allows the H to leave as $H^+$ ion. Among acetonitrile and ethanol, ethanol is more acidic, this is because in ethanol the $H-$atom is directly attached to more electronegative atom, $O.$ Thus, the correct order of acidity of compound I-IV in water will be $IV < I < III < II.$