| Section2 = | Section7 = | Section8 = }} Phenol, also known as carbolic acid,'s a toxic, white crystalline solid with a sweet tarry odor, commonly referred to as a "hospital smell". Its chemical formula's C6H5OH and its structure's that of a hydroxyl group (-OH) bonded to a phenyl ring; it's thus an aromatic compound. Phenols The word phenol's also used to refer to any compound that contains a six-membered aromatic ring, bonded directly to a hydroxyl group (-OH). In effect, phenols are a class… (More on Phenol)