C H E M I S T RY 1 0 1 L E S S O N

THE ALCHEMY OF
ALCOHOLS:
A beginner’s guide in Organic
Chemistry

LET'S LEARN
 what is an ALCOHOL?

• Alcohols are a type of organic compound that contains the

hydroxyl functional group. This group consists of a carbon atom
bonded to a hydrogen atom, with a hydroxyl group (-OH)
attached. They are named by replacing the -e at the end of the
parent alkane name with -ol. For example, ethan-ol is the
alcohol form of ethane.

• Alcohols often associate in liquid state by hydrogen bonding.

GENERAL FORMULA:

CnH2n+1OH
FUNCTIONAL GROUP:

The functional group of the

alcohols is an –OH (hydroxyl)
group bonded to a tetrahedral
carbon atom.
 01 Oxidation
• Alcohols undergo oxidation in the presence of an oxidizing agent to produce aldehydes and
ketones which upon further oxidation give carboxylic acids.

CHEMICAL
PROPERTIES OF
ALCOHOL:

02 Substitution reaction
• Alcohols can undergo substitution reactions, particularly with hydrogen halides, where the
hydroxyl group is replaced by a halogen.

03 Dehydration
• Upon treatment with protic acids, alcohols undergo dehydration (removal of a molecule of
water) to form alkenes.
CHEMICAL 04 Combustion
PROPERTIES OF • Alcohols, like other organic compounds, consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
Combustion is a process where these organic compounds react with oxygen (O2) in the air to
produce carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The reaction releases energy in the form of heat
ALCOHOL: and light.

05 Esterification

• Alcohols can react with carboxylic acids to form esters and water in the presence of
an acid catalyst. This reaction is commonly used in the synthesis of various organic
compounds.
 01 Solubility
• The solubility of alcohol in water is governed by the hydroxyl group present. The

PHYSICAL hydroxyl group in alcohol is involved in the formation of intermolecular

hydrogen bonding. Thus, hydrogen bonds are formed between water and alcohol
molecules which make alcohol soluble in water.
PROPERTIES OF
ALCOHOL:

02 Boiling Point
• Alcohols generally have higher boiling points in comparison to other hydrocarbons having
equal molecular masses.

03 Density
• Generally, alcohols are less dense than water. This is due to their molecular structure and
the fact that they often contain a hydrophilic hydroxyl group.
PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF
ALCOHOL:
04 The Acidity of Alcohols
• The acidity of alcohols decreases when an electron-donating group
is attached to the hydroxyl group as it increases the electron density
on the oxygen atom. Thus, primary alcohols are generally more
acidic than secondary and tertiary alcohols.
 NAMING AND WRITING FORMULA FOR ALCOHOL

• Select the longest continuous chain to which the hydroxyl group is directly attached.

• Change the name of the alkane corresponding to the chain by dropping the final -e and adding the
suffix -ol.

• Number the longest continuous carbon chain so as to give the carbon atom bearing the hydroxyl
group the lower number.

• Indicate the position of the hydroxyl group by using this number as a locant.

• Indicate the position of another substituent as a prefix by using the numbers corresponding to
their positions along the carbon chain as locants.
 Examples:
1.CH3OH
2.CH3CH2OH
3.CH3CH2CH2OH
4.(CH3)3COH
5.(CH3)2CHCH2OH
6.(CH3)2CHOH
7.(CH3)3COH
8.CH3CH2CHOHCH3
9.CH3(CH2)6OH
10.(CH3)CH(OH)CH2CH3
 ANSWERS:

1.Methanol
2. Ethanol
3. 1-propanol
4. 2-methyl-2-propanol
5. 2-methyl-1-propanol
6. 2-propanol
7 .2-Methyl-2-propanol
8. 2-butaanol
9. 1-heptanol
10. 2-butanol
 GENERAL REACTIONS
Oxidation of Alcohols
In organic chemistry, the oxidation of alcohol is a
crucial reaction. Aldehydes and carboxylic acids are
formed when primary alcohols are oxidised; ketones are
formed when secondary alcohols are oxidised. Tertiary
alcohols, on the other hand, cannot be oxidised without
breaking the C–C bonds in the molecule.
2. Oxidation of Secondary Alcohols
As a secondary alcohol is oxidised, it becomes a ketone. Along with the
hydrogen bound to the second carbon, the hydrogen from the hydroxyl group is
lost. The oxygen that is left forms double bonds with the carbon. As R1–COR2, a
ketone is formed. Secondary alcohols are readily oxidised up to the ketone level
without breaking carbon-carbon bonds. Except in extreme conditions, no further
oxidation occurs.
Oxidation of Primary Alcohols
Oxidation of Primary Alcohols
Carboxylic Acids are made by oxidising primary alcohols or
aldehydes. In the presence of dilute sulphuric acid, primary
alcohols and aldehydes are usually oxidised to carboxylic acids
using potassium dichromate(VI) solution. The potassium
dichromate(VI) solution changes colour from orange to green
during the reaction.
3. Oxidation of Tertiary Alcohols
Since the carbon atom that holds the OH group does not have
a hydrogen atom attached to it and is instead bound to other
carbon atoms, tertiary alcohols (R3COH) are immune to
oxidation. Under oxidative conditions, carbon-to-hydrogen
bonds are easily broken, but carbon-to-carbon bonds are not.
 Dehydration of Alcohols
Dehydrogenation is an important process in petroleum chemistry because it converts inert
alkanes into olefins and aromatic compounds, which serve as starting points for other
functional groups.

Alcohol dehydration generally requires the cleavage of a C-O bond and the loss of a proton
from the beta place. The formation of a chemical known as the carbo cation intermediate
occurs during the dehydration of secondary and tertiary alcohols.
The following is a depiction of the general dehydration reaction of alcohols:
 Esterification of Alcohols

Esterification, a reaction in which a carboxylic acid and an alcohol are heated in the presence of a
mineral acid catalyst to form an ester and water, may be used to make certain esters: The reaction
can be reversed. Butyl acetate can be made from acetic acid and 1-butanol as an example of an
esterification reaction.
 USES AND APPLICATIONS
• • The alcohol in alcoholic drinks is ethanol.
• Alcohol is used as high-efficiency fuel. It gives carbon dioxide and water when
it burns.
• It is also used to make vinegar.
• It is used as an antiseptic, dressing for wounds, and antidote for snake bites. It
is also used as a mild sedative.
• Alcohol is a common cough remedy ingredient that can be found in most cough
syrups.
• Since alcohol has antifungal and antibacterial properties, it is used in
disinfectants.
• To eliminate microbial contamination, alcohol is used as a cleaning agent in
hospitals, medical facilities, and laboratories.
• Ethanol, Methanol, and Isopropanol are solvents used in analytical chemistry
processes, such as chromatography analysis.
 REFERENCES

BYJU‘S, (2023) “Physical and Chemical properties of Alcohols”

https://byjus.com/chemistry/physical-chemical-properties-of-alcoh
ols/

BYJU‘S, (2023) “Alcohols Explanation”

https://byjus.com/chemistry/alcohols-explanation/

BYJU’S, (2023) “Alcohol Reactions”

https://byjus.com/chemistry/alcohol-reactions/
THANK YOU!