Alcohols Flashcards
General formula for alcohol
CnH2n+1OH
What is the angle of the OH group on an alcohol
104.5
What can alcohols classified into
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Whats a primary alcohol
Connected to a carbon with one R group
Whats a secondary alcohols
An alcohol where its carbon has 2 R groups
What is a tertiary alcohol
An alcohol where the carbon is bonded to 3 R groups
What does the OH group on alcohols allow them to do
It permits hydrogen bonding
Whats a violent reaction of alcohol and oxygen
Complete and incomplete combustion
What is needed to dehydrate alcohol
Alcohol vapour passes over heated aluminium oxide or excess hot concentrated sulfuric acid
What happens when you “gently” oxidise an alcohol
Primary alcohols turn into aldehydes then carboxylic acid
Secondary oxidise into ketones
Why can’t you oxidise tertiary alcohols
As oxidising the alcohol would mean you need to break a strong C-C bond
What process is used to create an aldehyde from an alcohol
Distillation in an acidified K2Cr2O7 mixture
Why must the product be distilled to produce aldehydes from alcohol
Prevents over oxidation which forms carboxylic acids
Can secondary alcohols form anything beyond ketones
No as that would mean breaking a C—C bond which would take lots of energy
