Alcohols

• Alcohols functional group 


  OH
• Solubility of alcohols

  Alcohols interact with water and form hydrogen bonds as the partially positive hydrogen is attracted to the lone pair of electrons
• Solubility of alcohols

  The more carbon chains the alcohol has, the less soluble it is as the carbon chain is non-polar and will not be able to dissolve as well
• Forming Haloalkanes from Alcohols

  This is done via a substitution reaction which involves a Halide ion e.g hydrogen halide
• Conditons for forming haloalkanes from alcohols

  Acid catalyst - Concentrated sulfuric acid

  Halide ion - Typically a hydrogen halide
• Dehydration of alcohols

  This reaction eliminates water and forms an alkene by reacting an alcohol with a concentrated acid catalyst
• Oxidising agent for alcohols

  Pottasium dichromate (K2Cr2O7)
• Colour change when an alcohol is oxidised

  Orange to green
• Primary alcohol oxidation steps

  Alcohol to Aldehyde to Carboxylic acid
• Aldehyde functional group

  C=O

  -H
• Carboxylic acid functinal group

  C=O

  -O-H
• Keytone functinal group

  C=O
• Secondary alcohol oxidation

  Alcohol to Keytone
• Distillation of alcohols

  This removes the aldehyde as soon as it is formed
• Alcohols under reflux

  This uses excess oxidising agent and fully forms a carboxylic acid