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Organic Chemistry

Classifying alcohols, making ethanol and its effects as a drug

  • 3 things to know
  • A2 2

Overview

Primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, making alcohols from halogenoalkanes, hydration of ethene and fermentation compared, and ethanol's effects and harms as a recreational drug.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is the general formula of the alcohols?

Key term

How are alcohols classified as primary, secondary or tertiary?

Key term

Classify butan-1-ol, butan-2-ol and 2-methylpropan-2-ol.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is the general formula of the alcohols?

    Model answer

    The alcohols have the general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₁OH. Propanol, with three carbon atoms, is C₃H₇OH.

  2. 2

    How are alcohols classified as primary, secondary or tertiary?

    Model answer

    The class depends on how many carbon atoms are bonded to the carbon carrying the –OH group. A primary alcohol has one, a secondary alcohol two and a tertiary alcohol three.

  3. 3

    Classify butan-1-ol, butan-2-ol and 2-methylpropan-2-ol.

    Model answer

    Butan-1-ol is a primary alcohol and butan-2-ol is a secondary alcohol. 2-Methylpropan-2-ol is tertiary, because its –OH carbon is bonded to three other carbons.

  4. 4

    Name the alcohol (CH₃)₂CHCH₂OH and classify it.

    Model answer

    (CH₃)₂CHCH₂OH is 2-methylpropan-1-ol. The alcohol is primary, because the –OH carbon is bonded to only one other carbon.

  5. 5

    Name CH₃CH₂CH(OH)CH₂CH₃ and classify it.

    Model answer

    CH₃CH₂CH(OH)CH₂CH₃ is pentan-3-ol, a secondary alcohol. The hydroxyl group sits on the middle carbon of a five-carbon chain.

  6. 6

    How is an alcohol prepared from a halogenoalkane?

    Model answer

    The halogenoalkane is warmed under reflux with aqueous sodium hydroxide. The hydroxide ion replaces the halogen atom in a nucleophilic substitution.

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