Ch. 5: Alcohols Flashcards
what is the general formula for alcohols?
ROH
what does a hydroxyl group refer to?
the functional group -OH
how are alcohols named in the IUPAC system?
by replacing -e ending of the root alkane with the ending -ol
what is an alternative common naming practice?
to name the alkyl group as a derivative, followed by alcohol (like ethyl alcohol)
how does naming work when the alcohol is the highest-priority functional group? when it’s not the highest priority functional group?
YES: the carbon atom attached to it receives the lowest possible number
NO: it is named as a substituent, with the prefix hydroxy-
defn: phenol
compounds that have hydroxyl groups attached to aromatic rings
why are the hydroxyl hydrogens of phenols particularly acidic?
due to the aromatic nature of the phenol ring, which allows for the resonances stabilization of the negative charge on oxygen, stabilizing the anion
what do ortho (o)
meta (m)
and para (p) indicate as prefixes? when are they used?
when benzene rings contain two substituents, their relative positions must be indicated
ortho (o): two groups on adjacent carbons
meta (m): two groups separated by a carbon
para (p): two groups on opposite sides of the ring
what else does hydrogen bonding increase other than melting and boiling points?
solubility in water
why are the melting and boiling points of alcohols significantly higher than their analogous hydrocarbons?
because they are capable of intermolecular hydrogen bonding
does the number of hydroxyl groups in a compound affect the hydrogen bonding or the boiling point?
yes, both!
more hydroxyl groups –> greater degree of hydrogen bonding –> higher boiling point
explain how hydrogen bonding works in the context of a hydroxyl group (3)
- the electronegative oxygen atom pulls electron density away from the less electronegative hydrogen atom
- this generates a slightly positive charge on the hydrogen and slightly negative charge on the oxygen
- then, the partially positive hydrogen of one molecule electrostatically attracts the partially negative oxygen of another molecule, generating a noncovalent bonding force (a hydrogen bond)
why and into what do alcohols dissociate?
they dissociate into protons and alkoxide ions
because the hydroxyl hydrogen is weakly acidic
why can phenols form salts with inorganic bases such as NaOH, but nonaromatic alcohols cannot?
because phenols are much more acidic than nonaromatic alcohols
does the presence of other substituents on the ring affect acidity, boiling point, and melting point of phenols? if yes, how so?
yes, significantly so
electron-withdrawing groups INCREASE acidity
electron-donating groups DECREASE acidity
how does the presence of more alkyl groups on nonaromatic alcohols affect the acidity? why?
more alkyl groups –> produces LESS acidic molecules
because alkyl groups donate electron density, they destabilize a negative charge
alkyl groups also help stabilize positive charges
what are the 3 main reactions we will see on the MCAT for alcohols?
- oxidation
- preparation of mesylates and tosylates
- protection of carbonyls by alcohols
what does PCC oxidize a primary alcohol to and why?
what does PCC stand for?
PCC = pyridinium chlorochromate
oxidized to aldehydes
stops there because PCC lacks the water necessary to hydrate the easily hydrated aldehyde