Alcohols:

Aliphatic General formula CnH2n+1OH - provided there are no rings

The OH replaces an H in a basic hydrocarbon skeleton
Aromatic In aromatic alcohols (or phenols) the OH is attached directly to the
ring
An OH on a side chain of a ring behaves as a typical aliphatic alcohol
The first two compounds are classified as aromatic alcohols (phenols) because
the OH group is attached
directly to
the ring.

Structural differences alcohols are classified according to the environment of

the OH group
chemical behaviour, eg oxidation, often depends on the
structural type

Primary (1)

Secondary(2)

Tertiary (3)

Boiling Points of Alcohol:

Increases with molecular size due to increased van der Waals forces.
Alcohols have higher boiling points than similar molecular mass alkanes,
This is due to the added presence of inter-molecular hydrogen bonding.
So More energy is required to separate the molecules.

Mr
Propane

C3H8

Ethanol

C2H5OH

BP / C
44

-42 permanent dipole-dipole interactions

46 +78 permanent forces + hydrogen bonding

Boiling point is higher for straight chain isomers.

butan-1-ol

CH2CH2CH2OH

118

butan-2-ol
CH3CH2CH(OH)CH3 10
intermolecular force
2-methylpropan-2-ol (CH3)3COH

Greater the branching the lower the

83

The precesnce of highly electronegative oxygen atom makes alochol moleculare

polar and gives rise to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding. This gives alochols
physical properties which are unusaual for organic compounds such as melting or
boiling points and water solubility.

Testing for Alcohols:

The reaction with Phosphoruous Pentachloride (PCl 5) shows the precence of the (OH) functional group in alcohols and carboxylic acids.
Alcohols react with PCl5 to form chloroalkanes
CH3OH + PCl5

CH3Cl + POCl3 + HCl

1.In a dry test tube

2. Add spatula of phosphorous pentachloride
3. Exothermic reaction will givge steamy white fumes which
turn damp in red litmus paper

Oxidation
Primary Alcohol
Carboxylic Acid

Oxidation
Aldehyde

O
R
R
O

C
H
H