what are phenols
up vote -2 down vote. Phenols are the aromatic organic compounds that have a hydroxyl group directly connected to a ring and alcohols are the non-aromatic compounds that have a hydroxyl group connected to the main chain. The difference is that one is cyclic and one is non-cyclic. phenol consists of an $\ce{-OH}$ bonded to an unsaturated $sp^2$ carbon. Thus, it does not qualify as an alcohol. One can classify it as an enol, though. Really, to me, the classification doesn't matter. Classifications are artificial, what is important is how well the properties fit in the classification.