Given below are two statements:
**Statement I:** The product of the reaction of phenol with bromine depends on

Question

Given below are two statements:
**Statement I:** The product of the reaction of phenol with bromine depends on the nature of the solvent.
**Statement II:** The reaction of phenol with bromine in $CHCl_3$ gives a monosubstituted bromo derivative whereas the reaction of phenol with bromine water yields a trisubstituted bromo derivative of phenol.

In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Accepted Answer

The reaction of phenol with bromine is governed by the solvent's polarity, which affects the activation of the benzene ring:
1.  **In non-polar or low polarity solvents** (like $CHCl_3$, $CS_2$, or $CCl_4$) at low temperatures (273 K), the ionization of phenol is suppressed. The activation of the ring is moderate, resulting in **monosubstitution**. The products are a mixture of **o-bromophenol** (minor) and **p-bromophenol** (major).
2.  **In aqueous solution (Bromine water)**, phenol ionizes to form the **phenoxide ion**. The phenoxide ion is a very strong activator towards electrophilic substitution because it releases more electron density into the ring. This leads to immediate **trisubstitution** at all available ortho and para positions, forming a white precipitate of **2,4,6-tribromophenol**.

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