Study of Alcohols in Organic Chemistry

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to the study of alcohols in organic chemistry.

Alcohol

A homologous series of compounds containing the –OH functional group.

Nomenclature

The system of naming organic chemical compounds according to IUPAC rules.

Primary Alcohol

An alcohol where the hydroxyl group is attached to a carbon that is attached to only one other carbon.

Secondary Alcohol

An alcohol where the hydroxyl group is attached to a carbon that is connected to two other carbons.

Tertiary Alcohol

An alcohol where the hydroxyl group is attached to a carbon that is connected to three other carbons.

Halogenation

A reaction in which the hydroxyl group (-OH) in an alcohol is replaced by a halogen atom.

Dehydration

A reaction where the hydroxyl group from an alcohol and a hydrogen atom from an adjacent carbon are removed to form a double bond.

Oxidation

A chemical process that involves the loss of electrons or hydrogen, or the gain of oxygen.

Combustion of Alcohols

The reaction of alcohols with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

IUPAC Rules for Naming Alcohols

Replace the 'e' in the alkane name with 'ol' and indicate the position of hydroxyl groups with locants.

Reflux

A technique where a reaction mixture is heated with a condenser to prevent loss of volatile substances.

Distillation

A separation process that involves heating a liquid mixture to form vapor and then cooling the vapor to form a liquid.

Ketones

A homologous series of organic compounds that are produced by the oxidation of secondary alcohols.

Aldehydes

A homologous series of organic compounds formed by the partial oxidation of primary alcohols.

Carboxylic Acids

A homologous series of organic compounds formed by the complete oxidation of primary alcohols.

Hydrogen Bonding

An attractive interaction between a hydrogen atom bonded to an electronegative atom and another electronegative atom.