What happens to phenol on mercuration with mercuric acetate?

o- Acetoxymercuric phenol + p- Acetoxymercuric phenol

The correct answer is option 3. o- Acetoxymercuric phenol + p- Acetoxymercuric phenol.

When phenol undergoes mercuration with mercuric acetate, the reaction typically occurs at the ortho and para positions relative to the hydroxyl group \((-OH)\). This is because the hydroxyl group is an activating, ortho/para-directing group in electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions.

The reaction with mercuric acetate \((Hg(OAc)_2)\) introduces an acetoxymercuric group \((HgOAc)\) to the phenol ring. Given the activating nature of the hydroxyl group and the typical positions of substitution, the major products will be ortho-acetoxymercuric phenol and para-acetoxymercuric phenol.