1. Alcohols Alcohols Contain a hydroxyl group (-OH).
Phenols Contain a benzene ring with a hydroxyl
group (-OH). OH

2. Naming Alcohols CH4 methane CH3─OH methanol CH3─CH3 ethane
CH3─CH2─OH ethanol

3. Naming Alcohols Step 1- Identify the root Step 2 – Identify the suffix
Select the longest carbon chain
that contains the -OH group. Name the parent alkane.
Step 2 – Identify the suffix
Number from the end nearest -OH group. The suffix of an alcohol always ends with –Ol. Indicate the position of each hydroxyl group. If more than one -OH group place a prefix (di, tri, tetra) at the beginning of the suffix
Step 3- Identify the prefix
Name and number any branches as you would for a hydrocarbon
Step 4- Name the compound
Combine the prefix, root, and suffix to name the compound.
If the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the “e” on the end of the parent alkane.

4. Name the following alcohol
Parent alkane: heptane
Suffix: -2,3-diol
Prefix: 4-ethyl
Name:4-methylheptane-2,3-diol

5. Name the following alcohol
Root: hexane
Suffix: -1-ol
Prefix:3-methyl
Name: 3-methylhexan-1-ol

6. Naming Alcohols CH3─CH2─CH2─OH propan-1-ol OH │ CH3─CH─CH3 propan-2-ol
│ │
CH3─CH─CH2─CH2─CH─CH methylhexan-2-ol 3 2 1 3 2 1 6 5 4 3 2 1

7. Naming Alcohols OH │ CH3─CH─CH2─CH3 butan-2-ol CH3
CH3─CH─CH ─CH2─OH 3-chloro-2-methylbutan-1-ol
CH3─C─CH2─OH ,2-dimethylpropan-1-ol 1 2 3 4 Cl 4 3 2 1
CH3 3 2 1

8. Draw the condensed structural formula for 4-methylpentane-1,2-diol
Root: 5 carbons
Suffix: OH groups on C1 and C2
Prefix: methyl on C4

9. Different types of Alcohols
Primary (1º) Secondary (2º ) Tertiary (3º)
H CH CH3
│ │ │
CH3─C─OH CH3─C─OH CH3─C─OH
H H CH3
1 C C C
attached attached attached
to C-OH to C-OH to C-OH

10. Physical Properties of Alcohols
Alcohols are polar molecules (because of O-H and C-O).
Hydrogen bonding between alcohols molecules.
Have higher boiling points than Alkanes, Alkenes, and Alkynes.
Molecular weight ↑ : London dispersion forces ↑ : bp ↑
More soluble in water than alkanes (Molecular weight ↑ : solubility ↓).
C-O: (3.5 – 2.5 = 1.0) O-H : (3.5 – 2.1 = 1.4)
polar
nonpolar OH

11. Oxidation of 1° Alcohols
In the oxidation [O] of a primary alcohol 1, one H is
removed from the –OH group and another H from the C
bonded to the –OH.
primary alcohol aldehyde
OH O
│ ║
CH3─C─H CH3─C─H + H2O │ H
ethanol ethanal
[O]
K2Cr2O7
H2SO4

12. Oxidation of 2° Alcohols
The oxidation of 2 alcohols is similar to 1°, except that a
ketone is formed.
secondary alcohol ketone
OH O
│ ║
CH3─C─CH CH3─C─CH3 + H2O │ H
2-propanol propanone
[O]
K2Cr2O7
H2SO4

13. Oxidation of 3° Alcohols
Tertiary 3 alcohols cannot be oxidized.
Tertiary alcohol no reaction OH │
CH3─C─CH3 no product
CH no H on the C-OH to oxidize
2-methylpropan-2-ol
[O]
K2Cr2O7
H2SO4