Alcohols with morethantwo carbon atoms can exist as structural isomers
Polarity
Alcohol molecules are polar and hydrogen bonds exist between the molecules
Melting and boiling points
Alcohols have relatively high melting points and boiling points, and low volatilities, compared with alkanes of a similar molecular mass because they have both hydrogen bonding and London forces where alkanes only have London forces
Solubility
Alcohols with a short carbon chain length are soluble in water, solubility decreases as the carbon chain length increases
Primary alcohols
The -OH group is bonded to a carbon which is bonded to one carbon atom
Secondary alcohols
The -OH group is bonded to a carbon which is bonded to two other carbon atoms
Tertiary alcohols
The -OH group is bonded to a carbon which is bonded to three other carbon atoms
When a primary alcohol is oxidised
It is converted to an aldehyde
When a primary alcohol is further oxidised
It is converted to a carboxylic acid
When a secondary alcohol is oxidised
It is converted to a ketone
Ketones cannot be oxidised any further
Elimination reaction
Dehydrating agents, such as concentrated sulfuricacid, H2SO4, or phosphoricacid, H3PO4, can be used to remove water from alcohols
Substitution reaction
Alcohols react with hydrogen halides, such as hydrogen bromide, HBr, to produce haloalkanes