Question

The increasing order of acidity among phenol, p-methylphenol, m-nitrophenol and p-nitrophen is 

(a) phenol, p-methylphenol, p-nitrophenol, m-nitrophenol 

(b) p-methylphenol, phenol, m-nitrophenol, p-nitrophenol 

(c) p-methylphenol, m-nitrophenol, phenol, p-methylphenol 

(d) m-nitrophenol, p-nitrophenol, phenol, p-methylphenol

Answer 1

(b) p-methylphenol, phenol, m-nitrophenol, p-nitrophenol 

Presence of electropositive group decreases acidity while presence of electronegative group increases acidity. The effect is more pronounced in the o, p-position than in the m-position.