Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
ALCOHOLS
Simple alcohols:
CH
3
OH
CH
3
CH
2
OH
CH
3
CH
2
CH
2
OH
CH
3
CHOHCH
3
methyl alcohol
(methanol)
(wood alcohol)
ethyl alcohol (ethanol)
(grain alcohol)
n-propyl alcohol
(propanol)
sec-propyl alcohol
(isopropanol)
(isopropyl alcohol)
Isomeric alcohols:
Paraffin Isomer
Type of Carbon Bond to
−
OH
Alcohol
CH
3
CH
2
CH
2
CH
3
n-butane
Primary
CH
3
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
OH
1-butanol
CH
3
CH
2
CH
2
CH
3
n-butane
Secondary
CH
3
CH
2
CHOHCH
3
2-butanol
CH
3
CH(CH
3
)CH
3
isobutane
Primary
CH
3
CH(CH
3
)CH
2
OH
isobutyl alcohol
CH
3
CH(CH
3
)CH
3
isobutane
Tertiary
(CH
3
)
3
COH
tertiary butyl alcohol
If one of the hydrogens of a paraffin is replaced by an
−
OH group, the
compound is called an alcohol. The
OH group is known as a
hydroxyl
group in organic chemistry (not to be confused with the hydroxide ion of
inorganic chemistry). There are three types of alcohols, depending on how
many hydrogens are on the carbon to which the
−
−
OH is attached: primary
(
−
CH
2
OH), secondary (
−
CHOH), and tertiary (
−
COH).
