Functional Groups - Alcohol and Phenols

Alcohols and Phenols

Name	Functional Group Structure	Example Compound	Official Name of Example (Common Name) Formal Name Ending
alcohol			methanol (methyl alcohol) -ol endings
phenol			phenol (phenol) -ol endings

Alcohols

A hydroxyl group is a hydrogen bonded to an oxygen that is covalently bonded to the rest of the molecule. Just as with alkenes, alkynes, and ketones, the location of the hydroxyl group is made by numbering the molecule such that the hydroxyl group has the lowest number possible.

is 2-pentanol

Alcohols are subdivided by examining the carbon to which the hydroxyl group is bonded. If this carbon is bonded to one other carbon atom, it is a primary (1^o) alcohol. If this carbon is bonded to two other carbons, it is a secondary (2^o) alcohol. If it is bonded to three other carbons, it is a tertiary (3^o) alcohol.

is 1^o

is 2^o

is 3^o

Phenols

When the hydroxyl group is bonded directly to a benzene ring, the compound is classified as a phenol. Naming phenols can be done in many ways.

is resorcinol.

Continue reading about the other functional groups.

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