IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 Inside alcohols

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011  Ethanol is a compound of carbon, so it is an organic compound.  Its molecules include the reactive –OH group.  A reactive group of atoms in an organic molecule is called a functional group.

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011  Ethanol is not the only alcohol. It is a member of the homologous series of alcohols.  The compounds of a homologous series have the same functional group, but a different number of carbon atoms.

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 This table shows the first three members of the homologous series of alcohols.

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 Ethanol is used as a solvent in many: perfumes and deodorants medicines marker pens food flavourings.

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 This is methanol. It is also a useful solvent. Methanol and ethanol dissolve well in water.

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 Methanol and ethanol dissolve in water because their –OH group is similar to water, so alcohol and water molecules mix easily. Solutions of alcohols with water are neutral – their pH is 7.

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 Hexanol is another member of the alcohol family. How many carbon atoms do you think it has in its molecule? Hexanol has 6 carbon atoms – like a hexagon shape has 6 sides.

IC Inside alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 If the molecular formula of methanol is CH 3 OH and of ethanol is CH 3 CH 2 OH, what is the molecular formula of hexanol? CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 OH