ALCOHOLS

ALCOHOLS
Alcohols are compounds whose molecules have a
hydroxyl group attached to a saturated carbon
atom.

Compounds in which a hydroxyl group is attached

to an unsaturated carbon atom of a double bond
(i.e., C=C–OH) are called enols.
ALCOHOLS
ALCOHOLS
1. METHYL ALCOHOL (methanol)
METHANOL
• Methanol is a type of alcohol made primarily
from natural gas.
• It is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic
odor. It is highly flammable.
• It is used to dissolve other chemical substances
and mixes readily with water and many organic
liquids.
METHANOL
• Methanol is present in fuels as a petrol
additive.
• It is used as an industrial solvent, as a solvent in
a number of insecticide and fungicide
formulations and is used as a reagent for
chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetic acid,
chloromethanes, cholesterol, antibiotics,
vitamins, hormones and other pharmaceuticals.
METHANOL
• Exposure to methanol may cause irritation of the
eyes, nose, mouth and throat. It can lead to liver
damage, cause headaches, cardiac depression,
nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, optic nerve
damage, dizziness and a feeling of intoxication.

• Methanol exposure may lead to severe abdominal,

leg and back pain.
METHANOL
• Repeated contact can dry the skin, resulting in the
skin cracking, peeling and itching.
• Methanol is harmful by ingestion, inhalation or
through skin absorption.
• Methanol can cause temporary or permanent
blindness when inhaled, ingested or
METHANOL
• Methanol is produced from a wide range of
microbiological processes (from decaying organic
matter), heated wood and sites of geothermal
activity, such as hot springs and volcanoes.
• It can be released from natural sources (e.g.,
emissions from certain plants, as a by-product of
degradation of organic material) as well as from
human use of methanol as a solvent. Methanol has a
low vapor pressure and will volatilize into air.
Methanol
ALCOHOLS
2. ETHYL ALCOHOL (ethanol)
ETHANOL
• Ethanol is a liquid alcohol.
• It is a common ingredient in many cosmetics and beauty
products.
• It acts as an astringent to help clean skin, as a preservative
in lotions and to help ensure that lotion ingredients do not
separate, and it helps hairspray adhere to hair.
• Because ethanol is effective in killing microorganisms like
bacteria, fungi and viruses, it is a common ingredient in
many hand sanitizers.
ETHANOL
• Ethanol mixes easily with water and many organic
compounds and makes an effective solvent for use in
paints, lacquers and varnish, as well as personal care
and household cleaning products.
• More than 98 percent of U.S. gasoline contains
ethanol, typically in a mixture called E10, made up of
10 percent ethanol and 90 percent gasoline, to
oxygenate the fuel and reduce air pollution.
ETHANOL
• As a food additive, ethanol can help evenly distribute
food coloring, as well as enhance the flavor of food
extracts.
• For example, vanilla extract, a common food flavoring,
is made by curing and processing vanilla beans in a
solution of ethanol and water.
ETHANOL
ALCOHOLS
3. PROPYL ALCOHOL (1-propanol)
PROPYL ALCOHOL
• Propyl alcohol is a clear liquid commonly used
as a germ killer (antiseptic).
• Propyl alcohol poisoning is rarely deadly. Long
term effects are possible, including kidney
failure, which could require dialysis (kidney
machine). Dialysis may also be needed in serious
cases of acute poisoning.
ALCOHOLS
4. ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL (2-propanol)
ISOPROPYL ALCOHOLS
• Isopropyl alcohol (2-propanol), also known as
isopropanol or IPA, is the most common and
widely used disinfectant within pharmaceutics,
hospitals, cleanrooms, and electronics or
medical device manufacturing.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS

1. Primary (1°) alcohol

2. Secondary (2°) alcohol
3. Tertiary (3°) alcohol
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS

1. Primary (1°) alcohol

A primary (1°) alcohol is one in which

the carbon atom with the OH group is
attached to one other carbon atom.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS

1. Primary (1°) alcohol

CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS

2. Secondary (2°) alcohol

A secondary (2°) alcohol is one in which
the carbon atom with the OH group is
attached to two other carbon atoms.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS

2. Secondary (2°) alcohol

CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS

3. Tertiary (3°) alcohol

A tertiary (3°) alcohol is one in which

the carbon atom with the OH group is
attached to three other carbon atoms.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS

3. Tertiary (3°) alcohol

CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS
CLASSIFICATION OF ALCOHOLS
NAMING ALCOHOLS
• According to the International Union of
Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC),
alcohols are named by changing the ending
of the parent alkane name to -ol.
IUPAC Rules For Naming Alcohols
1. The longest continuous chain (LCC) of
carbon atoms containing the OH group is
taken as the parent compound—an alkane
with the same number of carbon atoms.
The chain is numbered from the end
nearest the OH group.
IUPAC Rules For Naming Alcohols
2. The number that indicates the position of the
OH group is prefixed to the name of the
parent hydrocarbon, and the -e ending of the
parent alkane is replaced by the suffix -ol. (In
cyclic alcohols, the carbon atom bearing the
OH group is designated C1, but the 1 is not used
in the name.) Substituents are named and
numbered as in alkanes.
NAMING ALCOHOLS
3. If more than one OH group appears in the
same molecule (polyhydroxy alcohols),
suffixes such as -diol and -triol are used. In
these cases, the -e ending of the parent
alkane is retained.
ALCOHOLS
Compounds that have a hydroxyl group attached
directly to a benzene ring are called phenols.
ALCOHOLS
ALCOHOLS
Examples:

3,3-dimethyl-2-butanol
ALCOHOLS
Examples:

3-hexanol

cyclobutanol
References:
Chemistry Steps. (2024). Naming Alcohols. Retrieved from:
https://www.chemistrysteps.com/nomenclature-of-alcohols/

Libretexts. (2024). Alcohols - Nomenclature and Classification. Retrieved from:

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Basics_of_General_
Organic_and_Biological_Chemistry_(Ball_et_al.)/14%3A_Organic_Compounds_of_Ox
ygen/14.02%3A_Alcohols_-_Nomenclature_and_Classification

Solomons, T. W. G., Fryhle, C. B., & Snyder, S. A. (2013). Study Guide and Solutions
Manual to Accompany Organic Chemistry, 11th Edition. Wiley Global Education