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1.7: Alcohols

  • Page ID
    222790
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    Learning Objective
    • How to name alcohols and phenols.

    In organic chemistry, any alkyl group can be abbreviated as R. An alcohol, in which a hydroxy (-OH) group is attached to a carbon of the alkyl group, can be abbreviated as R-OH.

    Practice Questions

    1. The name of this molecule is ethanol.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): ethanol

    What is the name of Molecule A?

    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Molecule A

    2. This molecule is named 2-butanol.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\): 2-butanol

    This molecule is named 6-isopropyl-5-nonanol. Number the carbons.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\): 6-isopropyl-5-nonanol

    Number the carbons. What is the name of Molecule B?

    Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\): Molecule B

    3. The name of this molecule is 3-propyl-2-octanol. Number the carbons.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{6}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{6}\): 3-propyl-2-octanol

    4. Number the carbons. What is the name of molecule C?

    Figure \(\PageIndex{7}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{7}\): Molecule C

    5. This molecule is named 3-fluorocyclohexanol. Number the carbons.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{8}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{8}\): 3-fluorocyclohexanol

    6. Number the carbons. What is the name of Molecule D?

    Molecule D

    Figure \(\PageIndex{9}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{9}\).

    7. This molecule is named 4-hexen-2-ol. Number the carbons.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{10}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{10}\): 4-hexen-2-ol

    8. Number the carbons. What is the name of Molecule E?

    Figure \(\PageIndex{11}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{11}\): Molecule E

    9. This molecule is named 2,3-pentanediol.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{12}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{12}\): 2,3-pentanediol

    What is the name of Molecule F?

    Figure \(\PageIndex{13}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{13}\): Molecule F

    If a hydroxy (-OH) group is attached to an aromatic ring system, it is called a phenol.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{14}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{14}\): Two phenols

    This molecule is named 2-chlorophenol or o-chlorophenol.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{15}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{15}\): 2-chlorophenol / o-chlorophenol
    Practice Questions

    1. Name Molecule G using 1) numbers and 2) the o/m/p nomenclature.

    Figure \(\PageIndex{16}\).svg
    Figure \(\PageIndex{16}\): Molecule G

    2. What additions do we make to our existing naming rules to name alcohols?

    3. Write the steps that you use to name an alcohol in order, as instructions for a student who doesn't know how to do it.

    4. Draw any alcohol and go through the steps in naming your molecule.


    This page titled 1.7: Alcohols is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Rebekah O'Donnell (OpenStax CNX) .

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