[mystreet123]

Why does phenol have 4 different proton environment?

I can only think of 3

shouldn't these three protons be in the same environment? as each of them has two neighbouring proton

[Arkcon]

Is that structure static?

[sjb]

But are each of the neighbours also equivalent?

[mystreet123]

I don't know

I think they are?

[Babcock_Hall]

Does it matter whether a group is ortho to or para to the -OH?

[mystreet123]

Does it matter whether a group is ortho to or para to the -OH?

Does it??

[Borek]

Proton environments are identical only when the distance from all other groups is identical. Are all three protons at the bottom of the molecule as drawn in the same distance from -OH?

[Babcock_Hall]

Does it matter whether a group is ortho to or para to the -OH?

Does it??

If you look at a table of substituent shifts for benzene, you should find that the position of the proton relative to the substituent does matter.  The ortho and para hydrogen atoms in phenol are more upfield than the meta H is.  One can use resonance to explain this result, but perhaps a more sophisticated theory would be better.

[mystreet123]

Understood now

Thanks a lot!