Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the definitions, classifications, and major named reactions of alcohols, phenols, and ethers as described in the lecture transcript.

Alcohols

Organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl ($-OH$) group(s) directly attached to carbon atom(s) of an aliphatic system.

Phenols

Organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl ($-OH$) group(s) directly attached to carbon atom(s) of an aromatic system.

Ethers

A class of compounds formed by substituting a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon with an alkoxy ($R-O$) or aryloxy ($Ar-O$) group; they can also be visualized as derivatives of alcohols or phenols where the hydroxyl hydrogen is replaced by an alkyl or aryl group.

Allylic Alcohols

Alcohols where the $-OH$ group is attached to an $sp^3$ hybridised carbon atom adjacent to a carbon-carbon double bond.

Benzylic Alcohols

Alcohols in which the $-OH$ group is attached to an $sp^3$ hybridised carbon atom next to an aromatic ring.

Vinylic Alcohols

Alcohols that contain an $-OH$ group bonded to a vinylic carbon, which is a carbon-carbon double bond carbon atom.

Symmetrical Ethers

Ethers in which the alkyl or aryl groups attached to the oxygen atom are the same; also known as simple ethers.

Unsymmetrical Ethers

Ethers in which the two groups attached to the oxygen atom are different; also known as mixed ethers.

Phenol (Carbolic Acid)

The simplest hydroxy derivative of benzene, historically first isolated from coal tar.

Lucas Test

A chemical test used to distinguish between primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols based on their reactivity with a reagent consisting of concentrated $HCl$ and $ZnCl_2$.

Hydroboration-Oxidation

A reaction where diborane ($(BH_3)_2$) reacts with alkenes to give trialkyl boranes, which are then oxidised by hydrogen peroxide to form alcohols in a manner that appears opposite to Markovnikov’s rule.

Esterification

The reaction of alcohols and phenols with carboxylic acids, acid chlorides, or acid anhydrides to form esters.

Acetylation

The chemical process of introducing an acetyl group ($CH_3CO$) into alcohols or phenols.

Aspirin

A compound produced by the acetylation of salicylic acid, known for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic properties.

Kolbe’s Reaction

The reaction of the phenoxide ion with carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), a weak electrophile, followed by acidification to produce ortho-hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid).

Reimer-Tiemann Reaction

The treatment of phenol with chloroform in the presence of sodium hydroxide, which introduces a $-CHO$ group at the ortho position to produce salicylaldehyde.

Williamson Synthesis

An important laboratory method for preparing symmetrical and unsymmetrical ethers by reacting an alkyl halide with sodium alkoxide via an $S_N2$ mechanism.

Wood Spirit

A common name for Methanol ($CH_3OH$), which was traditionally produced by the destructive distillation of wood.

Denaturation of Alcohol

The process of making commercial ethyl alcohol unfit for consumption by mixing it with substances like copper sulphate (for color) and pyridine (for a foul smell).

Picric Acid

The common name for $2,4,6-trinitrophenol$, a strong acid formed by treating phenol with concentrated nitric acid.

Benzoquinone

A conjugated diketone produced by the oxidation of phenol with chromic acid.

Cumene

Isopropylbenzene, the primary hydrocarbon used in the commercial manufacture of phenol and acetone.