Phenolates
Phenolates are anions, salts, and esters of phenols, containing the phenolate ion. They may be formed by reaction of phenols with strong base.
Properties
Alkali metal phenolates, such as sodium phenolate hydrolyze in aqueous solution to form basic solutions. At pH = 10, phenol and phenolate are in approximately 1:1 proportions.The phenoxide anion is a strong nucleophile with a comparable to the one of carbanions or tertiary amines. Generally, oxygen attack of phenoxide anions is kinetically favored, while carbon-attack is thermodynamically preferred. Mixed oxygen/carbon attack and by this a loss of selectivity is usually observed if the reaction rate reaches diffusion control.