Alcohols, Carboxylic Acids and Esters Flashcards
What is an alcohol?
A member of a group of compounds that have a functional group of -OH.
What is a functional group?
A group of atoms that are responsible for the chemical properties of a compound.
What is a homologous series?
A group of chemicals that react in a similar way because they have the same functional group.
What is the general formula for an alcohol?
C(n)H(2n+1)OH
What is the chemical formula for Methanol?
CH3OH
What is the chemical formula for Ethanol?
C2H5OH or CH3CH2OH
What is the chemical formula for Propanol?
C3H7OH or CH3CH2CH2OH
How can you tell from the name of a substance whether its an alcohol?
All alcohols have the suffix -ol.
What is a similar property of all alcohols?
Alcohols are flammable and burn to form carbon dioxide and water.
What are two characteristics of methanol, ethanol and propanol?
They all dissolve completely in water to form neutral solutions
They react with sodium to give hydrogen and alkoxides.
What are three uses of alcohols?
Alcoholic drinks
Solvents
Fuels
What is a carboxylic acid?
A substance that has a functional group of -COOH.
What is the functional group -COOH made up of?
A carbon atom with a double bond with an oxygen atom and a single bond to an -OH.
How can you tell a carboxylic acid from its name?
They all end with the suffix -anoic.
What is the chemical formula for methanoic acid?
HCOOH
What is the chemical formula for ethanoic acid?
CH3COOH
What is the chemical formula for propanoic acid?
C2H5COOH or CH3CH2COOH
What makes an acid strong?
A strong acid will ionise completely in water.
What makes an acid weak?
A weak acid will only partially ionise in water.
What are four uses of carboxylic acid?
Soap and detergents
Solvents
Vinegar
Fizzy drinks
How do you make ethanoic acid?
You oxidise ethanol:
Ethanol + Oxygen -> Ethanoic acid + Water
What are esters?
A group of compounds with the functional group -COO-
What is the -COO- functional group made of?
A carbon with a double bond to one oxygen atom and a single bond to another.
How does one make an ester?
By mixing an alcohol and a carboxylic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst:
Alcohol + Carboxylic Acid -> Ester + Water
How do you name an ester?
The first part of the name comes from the alcohol used to make it and the second from the carboxylic acid. For example, ethanoic acid and ethanol react to form Ethyl Ethanoate.
What are three properties of Esters?
They are usually sweet smelling
They are volatile
They are flammable
What are three uses of Esters?
Perfume, flavourings and solvents.
What are three disadvantages of Esters?
Inhaling them can irritate the nose and mouth
Fumes are heavy and flammable so can cause flash fires if they come into contact with naked flames
Some are toxic
