Phenol | C6H5OH | CID 996 - PubChem Phenol is both a manufactured chemical and a natural substance It is a colorless-to-white solid when pure The commercial product is a liquid Phenol has a distinct odor that is sickeningly sweet and tarry You can taste and smell phenol at levels lower than those that are associated with harmful effects Phenol evaporates more slowly than water, and a moderate amount can form a solution with
Phenol | Definition, Structure, Uses, Facts | Britannica Phenol, any of a family of organic compounds characterized by a hydroxyl group attached to a carbon atom that is part of an aromatic ring Besides serving as the generic name for the entire family, the term phenol is also the specific name for its simplest member, monohydroxybenzene, also known as benzenol