Phenols are about a million times more acidic than alcohols (Table 17.1). Indeed, some phenols, such as 2,4,6-trinitrophenol, even surpass the acidity of most carboxylic acids. One practical consequence of this acidity is that phenols are soluble in dilute aqueous NaOH. Thus, a phenolic component can often be separated from a mixture simple by basic extraction into aqueous solution,followed by reacidification.