Alcohols and Phenols: Key Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to alcohols, phenols, and their reactions.

Alcohol

A compound that contains a hydroxyl group (OH) connected to an sp3-hybridized carbon atom.

Hydrophilic Region (in alcohols)

The portion of the molecule that is attracted to water.

Hydrophobic Region (in alcohols)

The portion of the molecule that repels water.

Miscible

Refers to liquids that can be mixed to create a homogenous solution (e.g., methanol, ethanol, n-propanol with water).

Soluble

A substance is soluble in water when only a certain amount of the substance will dissolve in a specified volume of water at room temperature (e.g. n-Butanol is soluble in water).

Alkoxide Ion

The conjugate base of an alcohol.

Phenolate (or Phenoxide) Ion

The conjugate base of phenol.

Reduction (in organic chemistry)

A reaction involving a decrease in oxidation state.

Diols

Compounds with two hydroxyl groups.

Oxidation (in organic chemistry)

A reaction involving an increase in the oxidation state of a carbon atom.

Grignard Reagents

Carbon nucleophiles capable of attacking electrophiles, including carbonyl groups, to produce an alcohol.

Protecting Group

A group, such as trimethylsilyl, used to circumvent Grignard incompatibility; can be removed after the Grignard reaction.

Phenol (Hydroxybenzene)

Used as a precursor in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other commercially useful compounds.

Quinones

Products of phenol oxidation. They are biologically important because their redox properties play a significant role in cellular respiration.