The descending order of acidity among the following compounds is: A. Phenol B. 4 -nitrophenol C. 4 -methoxyphenol D. 4 -nitrobenzoic acid E. Benzoic acid Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Step-by-step solution

Carboxylic acids are stronger acids than phenols because the carboxylate anion is stabilized by equivalent resonance structures. Thus, D and E are more acidic than A, B, and C. For the carboxylic acids, the -NO₂ group in D is an electron-withdrawing group ( -I, -R ), which stabilizes the conjugate base, making D more acidic than E. For the phenols, electron-withdrawing groups increase acidity while electron-donating groups decrease it. The -NO₂ group in B is electron-withdrawing, making it more acidic than A. The -