14.1 Properties of Alcohols

Question 1

What is the functional group for alcohols?

Answer 1

-OH

Question 2

What is the name for the alcohol functional group?

Answer 2

Hydroxyl group

Question 3

What is the functional group of alcohols responsible for?

Answer 3

Both the physical and chemical properties of the alcohols.

Question 4

What is methanol used for?

Answer 4

Chemical feedstock, starting material in many industrial processes.

Question 5

What is ethanol used for?

Answer 5

Alcoholic drinks, fuel, solvents, livestock

Question 6

What is the suffix for alcohols?

Answer 6

-ol

Question 7

What are the key physical properties of alcohols?

Answer 7

Less volatile, higher melting points, increasing water solubility.

Question 8

Do the differences between alcohols between alcohols become bigger or smaller as the length of the carbon chain increases?

Answer 8

Smaller

Question 9

Describe the forces in an alcohol.

Answer 9

-Alcohols have a polar -OH bond because of the difference in electronegativity of oxygen and hydrogen atoms.
-Alcohol molecules are therefore polar
-So intermolecular forces will be very weak London forces
-But, there is also stronger hydrogen bonds between the polar -OH groups

Question 10

Explain why alcohols have low volatility and high boiling points.

Answer 10

-In the liquid state, intermolecular hydrogen bonds hold the alcohol molecules together.
-These bonds must be broken to change the liquid alcohol into a gas, which requires more energy than overcoming the weaker London forces in alkanes.

Question 11

Explain why alcohols are soluble in water

Answer 11

-A compound that can form hydrogen bonds with water is far more water-soluble than a compound that cannot
-The hydrogens in water interact with the polar -OH group of an alcohol
-As the hydrogen chain increases in size, the influence of the -OH group becomes relatively smaller, and the solubility of longer-chain alcohols decreases.

Question 12

What are the 3 things that alcohols can be classified as?

Answer 12

Primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohols.

Question 13

What is a primary alcohol?

Answer 13

An alcohol whereby the -OH group is attached to a carbon atom ATTACHED TO ONE ALKYL GROUP (Carbon)

Question 14

What is a secondary alcohol?

Answer 14

An alcohol whereby the -OH group is attached to a carbon atom ATTACHED TO TWO ALKYL GROUPS (Carbon)

Question 15

What is a tertiary alcohol?

Answer 15

An alcohol whereby the -OH group is attached to a carbon atom ATTACHED TO THREE ALKYL GROUPS (Carbon)