Alcohols

Question 1

What is the general formula?

Answer 1

C_nH_2n+1OH

Question 2

What is the bond angle in the C - O - H bond ?

Answer 2

105

the 109.5 angle of a tetrahedron is reduced due to the presencence of lone pairs

lone pairs will repel each other more than the pair of electrons in a covalent bond

Question 3

How many lone pairs does the O have?

Answer 3

2

Question 4

What is a primary alcohol?

Answer 4

the -OH group has one R group

the carbon has 2 hydrogen atoms

-OH group at the end of the chain

Question 5

What is a secondary alcohol?

Answer 5

the -OH group is attached to a carbon with 2 R groups

the carbon has one hydrogen atom

-OH group is in the body of the chain

Question 6

What is a tertiary alcohol?

Answer 6

3 R groups attached to the carbon that is bonded to the -OH

the carbon has no hydrogen atom

the -OH group is at a brach in the chain

Question 7

What are the physical properties of an alcohol?

Answer 7

hydrogen bonding occurs

melting point is higher than alkanes of a similar molecular mass

the -OH group of alcohols can hydrogen bond to water molecules but the non-polar hydrocarbon chain cannot

short chains are soluble long chains are not