phenol
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The phenol molecule with its ring of six carbon atoms and a hydroxyl (OH) group attached. Phenol was first extracted from coal tar in 1834. It is used to make phenolic and epoxy resins, explosives, pharmaceuticals, perfumes, and nylon.
Member of a group of aromatic chemical compounds with weakly acidic properties, which are characterized by a hydroxyl (OH) group attached directly to an aromatic ring. The simplest of the phenols, derived from benzene, is also known as phenol and has the formula C6H5OH. It is sometimes called carbolic acid and can be extracted from coal tar.
Pure phenol has a melting point of 41°C/105°F and consists of colourless, needle-shaped crystals, which take up moisture from the atmosphere and dissolve. It has a strong and characteristic smell and was once used as an antiseptic. It is, however, toxic by absorption through the skin.
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