Alcohol
An alcohol has a hydroxyl group (-OH) bonded to a saturated (sp³) carbon that isn't part of an aromatic ring (that would be a phenol). Alcohols are classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary depending on whether the carbon carrying the hydroxyl is bonded to 1, 2, or 3 other carbons.
General formula
R–OH
Naming rule
Name = main chain (which must include the hydroxyl carbon) + suffix -ol, with the position's locant (e.g., propan-2-ol). With 2+ hydroxyls, -diol, -triol etc. are used, without eliding the last letter of the numerical prefix (ethanediol, not ethandiol).
Examples
| Name | Formula |
|---|---|
| Methanol | CH₃OH |
| Ethanol | C₂H₅OH |
| Propan-2-ol (isopropyl) | (CH₃)₂CHOH |
| Ethane-1,2-diol (ethylene glycol) | C₂H₆O₂ |