2- -p-cresol,

Usually prepared from the corresponding sulphonic acids by alkali fusion, methylation of phenol or from the aminotoluene by treatment with nitrous acid followed by boiling. Both o- and p-cresol are used as end components in azo dyes. 

Phenol, 0-, m- and p-cresol, catechol, resorcinol, hydro-quinone (and other nuclear substituted phenols), 1 - and 2-naphthoi... 

Dissolve the solid in 700 ml. of water in a 1500 ml. round-bottomed flask, and add a solution of 88 ml. of concentrated sulphuric acid in about 200 ml. of water until the liquid has a distinct odour of sulphur dioxide sufficient heat will be liberated in the neutralisation to cause the solution to boil. Immediately steam distil the liquid (Fig. II, 40, 1 it is better to use the apparatus shown in Fig. II, 41, 3) until a sample of the distillate gives only a slight precipitate with bromine water. About 700 ml. of distillate should be collected. Saturate the steam distillate with salt, extract the dl with ether, dry the extract with a little anhydrous magnesium or calcium sulphate, distil oflF the ether (compare Fig. II, 13, 4, but with a 50 ml. Claisen flask replacing the distilling flask) and distil the residue under diminished pressure. Collect the p-cresol at 95-96°/15 mm. the colourless liquid solidifies to a white crystalline solid, m.p. 31°. The yield is 24 g. 

The melting points of some 0-aryl saccharin derivatives are phenol, 182° o-cresol, 163° m-cresol, 146° p-cresol, 172° o-nitrophenol, 236° p-nitrophenol, 192°. 

Thio-p-cresol (p-tolyl mercaptan), p-CHjCjH SH. This compound may be similarly prepared from p-toluenesulphonyl chloride (Section IV,207). The thio-p-cresol crystallises in the steam distillate and is collected and dried m.p. 43°. The b.p. under normal pressure is 194r-195°. 

An old name for benzene was phene and its hydroxyl derivative came to be called phe nol This like many other entrenched common names is an acceptable lUPAC name Likewise o m and p cresol are acceptable names for the various ring substituted hydroxyl derivatives of toluene More highly substituted compounds are named as deriv atives of phenol Numbering of the ring begins at the hydroxyl substituted carbon and proceeds m the direction that gives the lower number to the next substituted carbon Sub stituents are cited m alphabetical order... 

Write a stepwise mechanism for the conversion of p-toluene sulfonic acid to p-cresol under the conditions shown in the preceding equation... 

Infrared The IR spectra of phenols combine features of those of alcohols and aro matic compounds Hydroxyl absorbances resulting from O—H stretching are found m the 3600 cm region and the peak due to C—O stretching appears around 1200-1250 cm These features can be seen m the IR spectrum of p cresol shown m Figure 24 3... 

NMR The H NMR signals for the hydroxyl protons of phenols are often broad and their chemical shift like their acidity lies between alcohols and carboxylic acids The range is 8 4-12 with the exact chemical shift depending on the concentration the solvent and the temperature The phenolic proton m the H NMR spectrum shown for p cresol for example appears at 8 5 1 (Figure 24 4)... 

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