I-Phenoliyinhlanganisela equkethe indandatho ye-benzene kanye neqembu le-hydroxyl. Ekhemistry, utshwala buchazwa njengezinhlanganisela eziqukethe iqembu le-hydroxyl kanye neketango le-hydrocarbon. Ngakho-ke, ngokusekelwe kule ncazelo, i-phenol ayilona utshwala.

Kodwa-ke, uma sibheka ukwakheka kwe-phenol, singabona ukuthi iqukethe iqembu le-hydroxyl. Lokhu kusho ukuthi i-phenol inezici ezithile zotshwala. Nokho, ukwakheka kwe-phenol kwehlukile kunesakhiwo sobunye utshwala ngoba iqukethe iringi ye-benzene. Le ringi ye-benzene inikeza i-phenol izici zayo ezihlukile nezici ezihlukile kulezo zotshwala.

Ngakho-ke, ngokusekelwe ezicini zesakhiwo se-phenol ne-alcohol, singasho ukuthi i-phenol ayiyona utshwala. Kodwa-ke, uma sibheka kuphela iqiniso lokuthi i-phenol iqukethe iqembu le-hydroxyl, khona-ke inezici ezithile zotshwala. Ngakho-ke, impendulo yombuzo othi "Ingabe i-phenol utshwala?" angeke kube nguyebo noma cha. Kuya ngomongo kanye nencazelo yotshwala esibusebenzisayo.