Alcohols

Question 1

What is naming primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols the same as?

Answer 1

Same as naming primary, secondary and tertiary haloalkanes

Question 2

Describe the physical properties of alcohols

Answer 2

• Fairly soluble in water (due to ability to easily hydrogen bond with water)
• As chain lengths increase, they become insoluble (more attracted to each other than water)
• Polar (due to OH end)
• Non-conductors (no freely moving electrons)
• Make good solvents and can be used for thinning when water in unavailable
• Good fuels

Question 3

Describe substitution reactions with halogenating agents

Answer 3

• Form haloalkanes with substitution
• The halogenating agents are HBr, SOCl2, PCl5 and PCl3
• Write ‘reflux’ over the arrow

Question 4

Describe elimination reactions with halogenating reagents for primary alcohols

Answer 4

• When a primary alcohol is heated with an excess of concentrated sulfuric acid, an elimination reaction occurs, producing an alkene and water
• Write ‘conc H2SO4’ and ‘heat’ on the arrow
• The sulfuric acid (or other acid on the arrow) acts as a dehydrating agent, resulting in the product + H2O

Question 5

Describe elimination reactions with halogenating reagents for secondary and tertiary alcohols

Answer 5

• More than one alkene is formed

- Anti-Markovnikoff’s rule applies

Question 6

What are alcohol reactions the opposite of?

Answer 6

Alkene + H2O reactions

Question 7

What happens when a primary alcohol is oxidised?

Answer 7

A carboxylic acid is formed (double bond O, single bond OH)

Question 8

What happens when a secondary alcohol is oxidised?

Answer 8

The OH is replaces with a double bonded O

Question 9

What happens to tertiary alcohols in oxidation reactions?

Answer 9

Nothing