Alcohols Structure & Formula
- All alcohols contain the hydroxyl (-OH) functional group which is the part of alcohol molecules that is responsible for their characteristic reactions
- Alcohols are a homologous series of compounds that have the general formula CnH2n+1OH
- They differ by one -CH2 in the molecular formulae from one member to the next
Diagram of the side chain and -OH group in ethanol which characterizes its chemistry
The First Four Alcohols
- The names and structures of the first four alcohols are shown below
- In terms of naming, the same system is used as for alkanes and alkenes, with the final ‘e’ being replaced with ‘ol’
Table showing the Formulae and Structures of the First Four Alcohols