Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids

Functional Groups

• Specific groupings of atoms within molecules.
• Determine characteristic properties.
• Common examples: alcohols, amines, carboxylic acids, and esters.

Alcohols (-OH)

• Functional group: –OH (hydroxyl group)
• Nomenclature: Names end in “–ol”.
• Number the carbon chain from the end closest to the –OH group.
• Examples of uses: fuels, alcoholic drinks.

Properties of Alcohols (-OH)

• Form strong intermolecular bonds due to the polar hydroxyl group.
• High boiling point and solubility in water.
• The influence of the hydroxyl group diminishes as the carbon chain length increases (longer = less soluble).
• Boiling points increase as the size of the molecule increases (increase in dispersion forces).

Naming Alcohols

• Identify the parent chain and add the suffix ‘-ol’.
• Number the carbon chain such that the functional group occurs at the lowest numbered carbon.
• Identify the position of the hydroxyl group in the name (e.g., Propan-1-ol).

Carboxylic Acids (-COOH)

• Functional group: –COOH (carboxyl group)
• The carboxyl carbon is always number 1.
• Weak acids with relatively high boiling points.
• Nomenclature: Names end in –oic acid.

Properties of Carboxylic Acids (-COOH)

• Greater boiling point and solubility compared to alcohols due to the polar carboxyl group.
• The influence of the carboxyl group diminishes as the carbon chain length increases.
• Form dimers and very strong hydrogen bonds with each other.

Naming Carboxylic Acids

• Replace the "e" with "oic acid" at the end of the name of the hydrocarbon (e.g., ethanoic acid from ethane).