Alcohols

Learning goals:
1. Safety guidelines in the laboratory.
2. Introduction to the course subjects.
3. General overview of alcohol and the identification of certain chemicals (Methanol, Ethanol,
Glycerol, and Benzyl alcohol).

Hints:
 Alcohol refers to a class of compounds that are characterized by the presence of a
Hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a carbon atom.
 The general formula for alcohol is R-OH. R represents an alkyl or aryl group.
 Alcohol can be categorized into primary, secondary, and tertiary based on the number of
carbon groups attached to the carbon atom bonded to the hydroxyl group.
 Oxidation and reduction reactions are referred to as the loss or gain of electrons.
 Generally, in this course, when a carbon atom loses a bond to hydrogen and gains a new
bond to oxygen it has been oxidized.
 Alcohol is oxidized to carbonyl-containing compounds such as aldehyde, ketones, and
carboxylic acid during oxidation.
 Unlike primary and secondary alcohols, tertiary alcohols (R3COH) can not be oxidized
because the carbon atom that holds the OH group does not have a hydrogen atom
attached to it.
 The carbon to hydrogen is easily broken but not carbon to carbon.