Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): Reaction of phenol with bromine in CS ₂ at low temperature yields a mixture of ortho and para bromophenols. Reason (R): In aqueous medium, phenol ionizes to form the phenoxide ion, which is highly activating towards electrophilic aromatic substitution. In the light of the above statements, choose t

Step-by-step solution

Assertion (A) is correct: Phenol reacts with bromine in non-polar solvents like CS ₂ at low temperature ( 273 K ) to give a mixture of ortho and para bromophenols. This is a monosubstitution reaction. Reason (R) is correct: In aqueous medium, phenol ionizes to form the phenoxide ion. The phenoxide ion is much more activating than the - OH group towards electrophilic aromatic substitution, leading to the formation of 2,4,6-tribromophenol. However, Reason (R) explains the polysubstitution reaction in aqueous medium,