Untitled Quiz

Study Notes

Alcohols are derivatives of water where one hydrogen atom is replaced by an alkyl or substituted alkyl group.
Properties of alcohols are related to those of water and hydrocarbons.
Alcohols can be primary, secondary, or tertiary, and may be open chain or cyclic.

Colorless liquids with a faint odor.
Benzyl alcohol and cyclohexanol have characteristic odors.
Aliphatic alcohols burn with a blue flame (without smoke), while aromatic alcohols burn with a yellow smoky flame.
Boiling points are high due to hydrogen bonding and increase with molecular weight (number of carbons).
Most alcohols are miscible with water except benzyl alcohol, cyclohexanol, and sec-butanol (slightly soluble).

Alcohols are polar due to the hydroxyl group, which allows for hydrogen bonding.
Polarity decreases as the alkyl side chain increases, meaning a larger hydrocarbon ratio decreases water solubility.
Low molecular weight alcohols are soluble in water due to hydrogen bonding.
Alcohols soluble in water and ether are classified as S1 (e.g., ethanol, methanol).
Alcohols insoluble in water are classified as N (e.g., benzyl alcohol, sec-butanol, cyclohexanol).

Alcohols are neutral compounds.
Reactions are linked to the hydroxyl group, often involving removal of the hydroxyl itself or the proton.

CAN (yellow solution) is an oxidizing agent that reacts with alcohols to initially form a red colored complex.
The red color eventually disappears as the alcohol is oxidized and the Ce(IV) solution is reduced to colorless Ce(III).
For water-soluble alcohols, mix two drops of alcohol with one drop of CAN. A red complex indicates a positive test.
For water-insoluble alcohols, mix two drops of alcohol with 0.5 ml dioxane, shake well, and add one drop of CAN for a positive red complex.
This test works for primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols (up to 10 carbons), polyhydroxylated compounds, carboxylic acids, aldehydes, and ketones.