Chapter 10.3: Acidity and Basicity of Alcohols Flashcards
1
Q
Describe the acidity of alcohols
A
• Alcohols can function as both weak acids (proton donors) and weak bases (proton acceptors)
2
Q
How does an alcohol act in the presence of strong acids?
A
• In the presence of strong acids, the oxygen atom of an alcohol is a base and reacts with an acid by proton transfer to form an oxonium ion
