Fundamental Organic Chemistry

ALCOHOLS COMPOUNDS
R-OH
• Alcohols are compounds contains one or more hydroxyl groups (OH)
• Alcohols divided according to the type of carbon atom attached to the
hydroxyl group in the molecule to Primary, Secondary& Tertiary alcohols.
Oxidation test:
It was found that Primary alcohols oxidizing to aldehyde the
Secondary alcohols oxidizing to ketone, but tertiary alcohols not
oxidized according to the following equations.
O
[ O ]
RCH 2
OH R C H
[ O ]
O
R C OH
Primary alcohol aldehyde carboxylic acid
O
R 2
CHOH
[ O ]
R
C
R
Secondary alcohol
[ O ]
R 3
COH
Tertiary alcohol
Ketone
No reaction
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