Alcohols

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 Alcohols

What are Alcohols?

➢ Belong to a homologous series of organic
compounds similar to alkanes and alkenes.
➢The hydrocarbon chains contain the
functional group -OH (hydroxyl group)
Structural Formula Chemical Formula
C2H5OH
(molecular formula)
or
OH = CH3-CH2-OH
(condensed structural
formula)
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 Classification of alcohols
Depending upon the type of substituted carbon atom,
alcohols can be:
Primary Secondary Tertiary
1 CH
3 ─ OH 1CH
3 ─ CH ─ 2CH3 1CH
3
│ │
OH 2CH ─ C ─ 3CH
3 3
│
OH
Depending upon the number of -OH groups substituted in the
hydrocarbon chain:
Monoalcohols Dialcohols Trialcohols

CH3 ─ OH CH2 ─ CH2 CH2 ─ CH ─ CH2

│ │ │ │ │
OH OH OH OH OH
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 Alcohols Nomenclature: IUPAC

1. Alcohols are named changing the letter “e” in the

suffix “ane” from alkanes by the suffix “ol”.
2. The hydrocarbon base name is the one that
having the hydroxyl group, also has the longest
carbons chain.
3. The occurrence of other hydroxyl groups is
indicated changing the suffix “ol” by “diol”,
“triol”, etc., at he end of the hydrocarbon base
name.
4. The position of each hydroxyl group is indicated
by a number added before the modified
hydrocarbon base name.
5. If the alcohol has other radicals, these are
indicated putting the substituent’s name and
position before the alcohol base name.
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 IUPAC Nomenclature

OH OH OH

▪ Methanol ▪ Ethanol ▪ Propanol

▪ Total of one ▪ Total of two ▪ Total of three

carbon atom carbons atoms carbon atoms
(meth-) (eth-) (propan-)

▪ CH3-OH ▪CH3-CH2-OH ▪ CH3-CH2-CH2-OH

*Take note of the functional group’s location, highlighted

by the dotted box
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 IUPSC Nomenclature

CH3 ─ CH ─ CH2 ─ CH2 ─ CH3 CH3

│ │
OH CH3 ─ C ─ CH3
│
2–pentanol OH 2–methyl-2-propanol

CH3-OH METHANOL 1,2,3-propanotriol (glycerine)

(wood alcohol) CH2 – CH – CH2
CH3-CH2-OH ETHANOL OH OH OH
(grain alcohol) (viscous, clear liquid obtained as by
CH3- CH-OH 2-PROPANOL product in soap making, used to
make plastics, drugs, foods,
CH3
cosmetics, and nitroglycerin)
CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH PENTANOL
1,2-ethanodiol (ethylene glycol)
CH2= CH-OH ETHENOL (antifreeze)
CH2 – CH2
CH2= CH-CH2-OH 2-PROPEN-1-OL OH OH
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 Physical Properties of Alcohols
Solubility In Matter State
Name Molecular formula
Water (solid/liquid/gas)

Methanol CH3- OH Very Soluble Liquid

Ethananol CH3-CH2-OH Soluble Liquid

Propananol CH3-CH2CH2-OH Soluble Liquid

Slightly
Butananol CH3-CH2- CH2-CH2-OH Liquid
soluble

• Alcohols are soluble in water, but their solubility decreases

as their molecular size increases.
• Unlike the alkanes and alkenes, the first four alcohols are
liquid at room temperature and pressure.
• Although alcohols contain the –OH group, they are not
alkalis. In fact, they are all neutral.
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 Alcohols and hydrogen bonding
The presence of the
hydroxyl group with its
electronegative oxygen
atom means that alcohols
are polar. They can
therefore take part in
hydrogen bonding.

Hydrogen bonding between alcohol molecules

means that an alcohol’s boiling point is higher than
that of an alkane of similar molecular mass. For
example, methanol (Mr = 32) boils at 64.7 °C but
ethane (Mr = 30) boils at -88.6 °C.
Alcohols can mix with water because their molecules can
form hydrogen bonds with water molecules.
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Alcohols Summary

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 Alcohols Applications

solvents for paints, varnishes, alcoholic drinks

perfumes

oxidation

ethanol

fuel for vehicles making ethanoic acid for preserving

food and making esters

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 Making wine and cider

Alcohol has been

produced by
fermentation of sugars
for thousands of years.
Sugar from fruit or
grains such as wheat
and barley is mixed
with yeast and water,
which produces
ethanol and other
compounds.
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 Industrial fermentation
Industrially, sugar cane,
molasses (a product of
refining sugar cane) or
starch (from potatoes or
corn) can be used for
fermentation.
The product is a mixture of
water and about 15%
ethanol by volume. No more
alcohol is produced
because the yeast is
denatured by the alcohol.

Distillation can be used to

remove most of the water
from the ethanol.
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