Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, is a toxic, white with a slightly pink tinge, crystalline solid. Its chemical formula is C6H5OH and its structure is that of a hydroxyl group (-OH) bonded to a phenyl ring, making it an aromatic compound. Phenols The word phenol is 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 of organic compounds of which the phenol discussed in this article is the sim… (More on Phenol)