Can phenol be detected with a ceric ammonium nitrate test?
With unsubstituted phenol ($\ce{PhOH}$) dark-brown precipitation is formed:

$$\ce{(NH4)2[Ce(NO3)6] + 2 PhOH -&gt; [Ce(NO3)4(PhOH)2] + 2 NH4NO3}$$

Other phenols should produce wine-red solution as expected [1, p. 478]. Also, this and other phenol tests are discussed in [2].


Pavia, D. L. A small-scale approach to organic laboratory techniques, 3rd Ed.; Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA, 2011. ISBN 978-1-4390-4932-7.
Atul, S. The Pearson Guide to Objective Chemistry for the AIEEE; Pearson Education India, 2010. ISBN 978-81-317-3381-3.