Alcohols Flashcards
Alcohols are…
A homologous series
What functional group do they have?
(-OH)
Name the first 4 alcohols
Methanol
Ethanol
Propanol
Butanol
What are the formulas for the first 4 alcohols.
Methanol (CH3OH)
Ethanol (C2H5OH)
Propanol (C3H7OH)
Butanol (C4H9OH)
What is the general formula for alcohols?
CnH2n+2OH
What are the main properties of alcohols
Flammable
Soluble
Oxidised to form carboxylic acids.
Flammability
They combust completely in air to form carbon dioxide and water.
Blue flame.
What is the combustion reaction for alcohols?
Alcohol + oxygen –> Carbon dioxide + water
Soluble
They can dissolve in water to form a solution.
It is neither alkaline nor acidic.
They have a neutral pH.
Oxidise to form carboxylic acids
When oxygen is added to the alcohol, it forms a (-COOH) functional group.
What are the uses?
Fuels
Solvents in industry
Feuls.
They are flammable so they undergo complete combustion.
Used as fuels to release energy.
Solvents in Industry
They are often used instead of water as they can dissolve things that water cannot:
Hydrocarbons
Fats
Oils
