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IUPAC Nomenclature/Names

o Find the longest carbon chain containing the carbon with the -OH group.
o Drop the -e from the alkane name, add -ol.
o Number the chain, starting from the end closest to the -OH group.
o Number and name all substituents.

(Refer to McMurry or LG Wade for examples)

Unsaturated Alcohols
o Priority goes to the hydroxyl group; assign that carbon the lowest number.
o Use alkene or alkyne name.

(Refer to McMurry or LG Wade for examples)

Hydroxy Substituent

o When -OH is part of a higher priority class of compound, it is named as hydroxy.

(Refer to McMurry or LG Wade for examples)

Naming Diols; Glycols

o Two numbers are needed to locate the two -OH groups.

o Use -diol as suffix instead of -ol.

(Refer to McMurry or LG Wade for examples)

Naming Phenols

o -OH group is assumed to be on carbon 1.

o For common names of disubstituted phenols, use ortho- for 1,2; meta- for 1,3; and para- for
1,4.
o Methyl phenols are cresols.

(Refer to McMurry or LG Wade for examples)

Boiling Points of Alcohols

o Alcohols have higher boiling points than ethers and alkanes because alcohols have dipole-dipole
interactions and can form hydrogen bonds.
o The stronger interaction between alcohol molecules will require more energy to break them
resulting in a higher boiling point.