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small molecules: |
spacefilling presentation |
the electron cloud is shown by dots |
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Alcohols are aliphatic carbon compounds with one or more hydroxyl-groups (-OH) bound directly to a carbon atom.
H | H - C - OH | H |
H | H - C - OH | H - C - H | H |
H | H - C - OH | H - C - H | H - C - H | H |
H | H - C - OH | H - C - CH3 | H - C - H | H |
methanol | ethanol | propanol | isobutanol |
If the molecule contains just one -OH group, it is spoken of a monovalent, if it has two of a bivalent and if it has three of a trivalent alcohol or, if it contains several -OH groups of a multivalent alcohol.
H | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | H |
H | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | H |
glycol | glycerol |
H | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | HO - C - H | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | H |
H | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | HO - C - H | HO - C - H | H - C - OH | H - C - OH | H |
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sorbit = sorbitol | mannit = mannitol |
Of importance is also the classification into primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols that is based on the number of H-atoms sitting at the same C-atom as the -OH group.
H | R1 - C - OH | H |
R2 | R1 - C - OH | H |
R2 | R1 - C - OH | R3 |
primary | secondary | tertiary |
alcohol |
gallery: structure and data of a few alcohols |
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