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Chapter 22 — Chapter 22 — Hydroxy Compounds
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📘Easy summary
Alcohols and phenols are hydroxy compounds with at least one –OH group attached to an aliphatic or aryl carbon respectively. Ethanol (grain alcohol) is used as a fuel; phenol solutions were used as antiseptics from 1867 after Pasteur's work, but phenol burns healthy tissue. The hydroxyl group is the functional group of all alcohols, general formula ROH. Methanol and ethanol are the first two members of monohydric alcohols. By number of –OH groups: monohydric (ethanol, propan-1-ol) and polyhydric (1,2-ethanediol (glycol), 1,2,3-propanetriol (glycerol)). By carbons attached to the C–OH carbon: primary R–CH₂OH, secondary R₂CHOH, tertiary R₃COH.
⭐Key points
- Functional group –OH; general formula ROH.
- Monohydric vs polyhydric (glycol, glycerol).
- 1°: RCH₂OH; 2°: R₂CHOH; 3°: R₃COH.
- Phenol: –OH on benzene ring.
🔬Diagram
🌿Real-life example
Glycerol CH₂(OH)CH(OH)CH₂OH has two primary and one secondary –OH group.
💡Exam tip
- Classify each –OH separately in polyhydric alcohols.
✅Quick check
1. 2-methylpropan-2-ol is:
2. Glycerol is a:
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