Organic Chemistry

What is a primary alcohol?

Only has one other carbon bonded to the carbon to which the alcohol group is bonded.

What is a secondary alcohol?

Has two other carbons bonded to the carbon to which the alcohol group is bonded.

What is a tertiary alcohol?

Has three carbons bonded to the carbon to which the alcohol group is bonded.

Primary alcohols oxidise to form:

Aldehydes, and further to carboxylic acids

Secondary alcohols oxidise to form:

Ketones

Tertiary alcohols oxidise to form

Nothing, they do not undergo oxidation

How to name an alcohol with two alcohol chains (-OH)

(prefix)-diol

What defines a carboxylic acid?

-COOH chain made up of:

• A double bond O

• An -OH

What defines a ketone?

Double bond =O chain

What is an amine group?

-NH2 chain on main chain of molecule

What is an amide group?

C with:

• A double bond O

• An N bonded, with one H attached and another carbon chain attached

Why might an alcohol have lower IMF’s than carboxylic acid, its derivative alcohol?

Carboxylic acids meet criteria for H-bonding

• Has an O molecule

• An H atom is bonded to this O

Thus, can form dispersion, dipole-dipole and hydrogen bonds with itself and other molecules

Alcohols only form dispersion and dipole-dipole bonds

What is needed for an alcohol reaction to occur?

An acid must be present as a suitable catalyst