Editing Cresol (section)

==Structure and production==
In its [[chemical structure]], a [[molecule]] of cresol has a [[methyl group]] substituted onto the ring of phenol. There are three forms ([[isomers]]) of cresol: ''ortho''-cresol ([[o-Cresol|''o''-cresol]]), ''meta''-cresol ([[m-Cresol|''m''-cresol]]), and ''para''-cresol ([[p-Cresol|''p''-cresol]]). These forms occur separately or as a mixture, which can also be called cresol or more specifically, '''tricresol'''.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} About half of the world's supply of cresols are extracted from coal tar. The rest is produced by [[hydrolysis]] of [[chlorotoluene]]s or the related sulfonates.  Another method entails methylation of phenol with methanol over a solid acid catalyst, often comprising magnesium oxide or alumina. Temperatures above 300&nbsp;°C are typical. [[Anisole]] converts to cresols under these conditions.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.15227/orgsyn.003.0037|title=''p''-Cresol|journal=Organic Syntheses|volume=3|pages=37|year=1923|author=W. W. Hartman}}</ref><ref name=Ullmann/>

Another [[isomer]] of cresol is called [[Benzyl alcohol]], or ''alpha''-cresol (α-cresol). Benzyl alcohol has a hydroxy group inside a methyl group on the [[benzene]] ring.