Phenol (also called carbolic acid) is an aromatic organic compound with the molecular formula C6H5OH. It is a white crystalline solid that is volatile. The molecule consists of a phenyl group (?C6H5) bonded to a hydroxy group (?OH). Mildly acidic, it requires careful handling because it can cause chemical burns.
Phenol was first extracted from coal tar, but today is produced on a large scale (about 7 billion kg/year) from petroleum-derived feedstocks. It is an important industrial commodity as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds. It is primarily used to synthesize plastics and related materials. Phenol and its chemical derivatives are essential for production of polycarbonates, epoxies, Bakelite, nylon, detergents, herbicides such as phenoxy herbicides, and numerous pharmaceutical drugs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenol
See Also
asphalt
beeswax
coal
coal tar
ester
fat
fat-concentrate
fat-concentration
fat-formation
fatty acid
Fatty matter
fatty substance
fatty-matter
lipid
tallow
tar
wax
worm-fat