Aromatic Alcohols, Phenols, and Ethers

The chemistry of the aromatic alcohols may be well illustrated by a consideration in some detail of a few typical members of the series. 

Benzyl Alcohol, C6H5CH2OH, occurs in the balsam of Peru in the free condition, and in combination as the esters of benzoic acid and cinnamic acid. It is also present in small quantity in the volatile oil of cherry-laurel. The alcohol is a liquid, which possesses a faint odor, is difficultly soluble in water, and boils at 206 . 

Benzyl alcohol may be prepared by the methods used in the preparation of aliphatic alcohols. For example, it is formed when benzyl chloride is heated with water — 

As in the case of the aliphatic compounds the rate of the reaction is increased by bringing about the substitution of hydroxyl for chlorine in the presence of potassium carbonate or lead hydroxide. 

A method often used in the case of aliphatic compounds can be employed with advantage in the preparation of benzyl alcohol. The method consists in the conversion of an alkyl halide into an acetate, and the saponification of the latter — 

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