Alcohol Definition and 159 Threads

In chemistry, alcohol is an organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl functional group (−OH) bound to a saturated carbon atom. The term alcohol originally referred to the primary alcohol ethanol (ethyl alcohol), which is used as a drug and is the main alcohol present in alcoholic drinks. An important class of alcohols, of which methanol and ethanol are the simplest members, includes all compounds for which the general formula is CnH2n+1OH. Simple monoalcohols that are the subject of this article include primary (RCH2OH), secondary (R2CHOH) and tertiary (R3COH) alcohols.
The suffix -ol appears in the IUPAC chemical name of all substances where the hydroxyl group is the functional group with the highest priority. When a higher priority group is present in the compound, the prefix hydroxy- is used in its IUPAC name. The suffix -ol in non-IUPAC names (such as paracetamol or cholesterol) also typically indicates that the substance is an alcohol. However, many substances that contain hydroxyl functional groups (particularly sugars, such as glucose and sucrose) have names which include neither the suffix -ol, nor the prefix hydroxy-.

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  1. T

    Organic Chemistry - Alcohol Synthesis Problem

    I have attached a file of the alcohol I need to synthesize and my futile attempt... I was thinking of using a hydration reaction to make the alcohol from the alkyne group. So basically I would mix the alkyne group with H2O and some how produce the alcohol group. Am I heading in the right...
  2. F

    What Taste Sensations Does Alcohol Stimulate?

    I hope this isn't an inappropriate topic for this section, but I was curious if anyone knew what taste sensations are stimulated by alcohol. Of the four taste buds; sweet, salty, bitter, and sour, I'm not sure where alcohol would fit. There is also a burning sensation associated with alcohol...
  3. T

    Where would I shop for safe to drink lab alcohol?

    Hello. I am performing some biochemical process where the end product is going to be intended for human consumption. I am curious where I can buy large quantities of ethanol that is safe for drinking. I don't want to use the liquor store corn alcohol because it has some impurities...
  4. M

    Alcohol in beer would evaporate extremely slowly in cold temperatures?

    I'm guessing the alcohol in beer would evaporate extremely slowly in cold temperatures like a fridge. I hear a lot of people say otherwise, so I'm wondering if it even evaporates a noticeable amount in 24 hours?
  5. P

    Alcohol Drinking Habits Amongst Peers: Reflections on High School

    As I reflect back on my four awkward years of high school I still cringe at all the awkward times I had to turn down a drink. Among youths, choosing to abstain from alcohol was an easy way to put a target on your back and slowly alienate yourself. The pressure did get to a lot of kids. Even the...
  6. J

    Boric acid + Isopropyl alcohol = ?

    Boric acid + Isopropyl alcohol = ? Hi...I've made some ant killer solution: 4.9 grams of boric acid, 39.4 grams of table sugar (sucrose?), in 250ml water Works fine. Take 1/4 of a paper towel, fold into a small rectangle, place on inverted saucer, and saturate with ~1 tsp of...
  7. reenmachine

    How Dangerous is Mixing Alcohol and Acetaminophen?

    Edit: sorry for the typo in the title , can't edit I looked around on google quite a bit and it's very hard to find precise information on the issue.All I can find is vague warnings like "acetaminophen and alcohol is bad for the liver". Anybody have knowledge on just how dangerous the mix can...
  8. K

    Understanding Alcohol as a Solvent in Halogenoalkane Reactions

    Homework Statement When a halogenoalkane reacts with aqueous sodium hydroxide under reflux conditions, an alcohol is formed. However, when the same halogenoalkane reacts with ALCOHOLIC sodium hydroxide under reflux, an alkene is formed (It is an elimination reaction). Now, the problem is...
  9. S

    Absolute Alcohol Vs. Absolute alcohol

    I read in a book that an aqueous solution of ethanol produces a constant-boiling mixture which contains 95.6% ethanol and 4.4% water. This is called rectified spirit. I googled the word "constant-boiling" and I came to the conclusion that it's nothing but azeotrope. But it isn't clear to me...
  10. S

    Medical Is alcohol harmful for your brain?

    For an occasional/recreational user, is alcohol consumption once in a while harmful for your brain? I googled and i couldn't really find a straight answer, i read somewhere a while back though that Richard feynman never drank alcohol or did any drugs(he wanted to experiment with LSD) because he...
  11. N

    Find initial temp. of alcohol when copper and aluminum are added

    *Messed up title, should have been find initial temp of copper* Homework Statement 8.00 g of aluminum at 200 °C and 18.0 g of copper are dropped into 50.0 cm3 of ethyl alcohol at 15 °C. The temperature quickly comes to 26.0 °C. What was the initial temperature of the copper? Density of ethyl...
  12. E

    Synthesizing alkyne from alcohol

    If I have a end alcohol attached to a carbon chain, what would be a reaction or synthetic pathway that can be done to transform the alcohol to an alkyne? Thanks for your input.
  13. J

    Alcohol Solvents: Dissolving Herbs' Alkaloids & Resins

    Why is alcohol better at dissolving compounds in herbs than water? Such as alkaloids and resins. Can someone explain how it actually does this?
  14. N

    Is a licence required to make isopropyl alcohol?

    Is a license required to make isopropyl alcohol? I know at times making alcohol can be illegal such as making it for drinking, but what about isopropyl?
  15. A

    Chlorine (bleach) and alcohol (ethanol?).

    I recently saw a few videos on Youtube of people making a reaction by putting chlorine and alcohol together in a bottle. For the life of me I can't figure out why that reaction would work, and I wondered if anybody could give me an equation. Thanks.
  16. Q

    Can alcohol (ethanol) remove or destroy dishwasher liqiud?

    Can alcohol (ethanol) remove or destroy dishwasher liqiud?!? hello friends..please answer me on this question .. if there was a little dishwasher liquid on skin with and contacted with some alcohol on it,and if alcohol mixed with dishwasher can it destroy or remove dishwasher?i ask this...
  17. L

    Find an Alcohol Bottle that Looks Like Apple Juice

    I need an alcohol bottle for a scene that I'm doing and don't know anything about alcohol because I don't drink. I need a bottle that obviously looks like an alcohol bottle, and I need whatever alcohol it is to look like apple juice. I'm going to replace the alcohol with apple juice. Obviously I...
  18. Rapier

    Buoyancy (A Boat in Water vs Alcohol)

    Homework Statement You take a toy boat, float it in a tub of water and one half of the boat is below the surface. According to Archimedes’ Principle, how much of the boat would be below the surface if you tried to float it in a tub of alcohol? →Less than half. →Half. →More than half, but...
  19. J

    Medical Is Giving Up Alcohol the Key to Achieving My Goals?

    Anyone here stayed sober for a matter of years? I think it'll be in my best interest to do so. Right now I need to go on a bullet-point rant to get a few things off my chest. I'm doing this for purely selfish reasons. I'm not like George W. Bush who experienced a moral conversion that...
  20. S

    Any evidence to suggest alcohol could improve brain function for short periods?

    The only evidence I have is from introspection, but it's happened so often I'm wondering if it's a more common experience. The day after drinking heavily my mind is not sluggish. It's lightning fast. I'm extremely sharp, I talk very quickly, produce more jokes, see though irrational...
  21. T

    Acetone v. Alcohol for cleaning a pipe.

    I've heard of using isopropyl alcohol to clean the tar out of a pipe, but what about acetone? Which is a better solvent for tar? Would a mixture of both work better than either alone? (Would mixing the two be dangerous?) Thanks, Tyler
  22. G

    Understanding the Role of Zinc Ion in Alcohol Dehydrogenase Catalysis

    Homework Statement Alcohol dehydrogenase is an enzyme that catalyzes the catabolism of ethanol (an alcohol). In order to function, the enzyme requires a zinc ion (Zn++). What is the best description of Zn++ in relation to alcohol dehydrogenase? The zinc ion also acts as an enzyme...
  23. K

    N-butyl alcohol and bromide reaction

    Homework Statement n-butyl alcohol was reacted with potassium bromide in the presence of concentrated sulphuric acid and water. 1) Is hydrobromic acid involved in this reaction? If yes, how so? 2) Is this reaction SN1 or SN2? What is the mechanism? 3) What is the purpose of the...
  24. Ivan Seeking

    Medical Is alcohol the most destructive drug on the planet?

    I've seen lives destroyed by drugs or alcohol before but never have I seen someone completely melt down in just two years, on booze. Unfortunately, that is what we just witnessed. It only took this poor woman two years of drinking to drive herself into kidney failure and the CCU. Today she is...
  25. Q_Goest

    Medical Alcohol and testosterone levels in men

    Does light drinking (2 glasses per day) in men alter testosterone levels? There seems to be quite a bit of research regarding the affect of alcohol on testosterone but most seems to be focused on heavy drinking which might reduce testosterone levels. On the other hand, light drinking might...
  26. D

    Measuring Alcohol Content: How Do I Calculate It?

    Hello all, I'm a bit new to to the forum, but from the posts I've read, I can say that this is a fantastic site. I have a fish tank with some live plants in it, and I add CO2 to the water by putting some sugar, water and yeast in a two liter bottle and pumping the gas into the water. Worked...
  27. S

    Which alcohol produces more alkenes through E1 mechanism?

    \alpha-terpineol produces four different alkene products (including imonene) when it is dehydrated via E1 mechanism. On the other hand, 2-methylcyclohexanol produces two different alkenes through E1 mechanism. Which of these product do you think would be formed in the greatest amount? I...
  28. Z

    What Are the Precautions and Dangers of Re-Distilling Alcohol-Based Solutions?

    I'm attempting to distill or more accurately re-distill alcohol that is used as a base for organic flavorings similar to food flavoring agents. My question is regarding any precautions, dangers and or ill side effects of distillation of alcohol based solutions ? I do not want to...
  29. N

    Convert ethyl alcohol to vinyl acetate

    Homework Statement Convert ethyl alcohol to vinyl acetate ( in not more than 6 steps).. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution this is wat i tried: first added conc. H2SO4 at 120 degrees , ethene is formed , then added Br2 in CCl4 , 1 2 dibromoethane is obtained ...then...
  30. B

    The Evolution of Alcohol Tolerance: A Genetic Response to Human Consumption?

    As different individuals and races are very different comparing this trait, alcohol tolerance has/is probably under heavy genetic selection. As there isn't much alcohol outside human society, i wonder whether people craved alcohol by accident already before it became abundant or did that trait...
  31. J

    Alcohol, accidents, effects on family and social life, lives getting spoiled

    I know someone whose life has been badly affected because his father is a drunkard. That is one the reasons I'm against alcohol because I've seen it with my own eyes how it affects others' lives. There are too many accidents because people drive while drunk. Many other crimes also stem out of...
  32. Ivan Seeking

    Alcohol Is The Most Dangerous Drug

    http://www.businessinsider.com/alcohol-more-dangerous-than-pot-2010-11 http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/nov/01/alcohol-more-harmful-than-heroin-crack I couldn't agree more. Given my choice of sharing the highway with a drunk or a crack user, I'll take the crack addict any time. Also...
  33. S

    Preserving Food in Alcohol: What Could Go Wrong?

    Recently I've been thinking about old, preserved scientific specimens in alcohol. While the preservation mechanisms are simple, it's really quite extraordinary if you think about it. There are dead animals filed away in jars of alcohol that never rot. Never. Some of them, in cramped archives...
  34. O

    Compatibility comparison: ethyl alcohol vs. denatured alcohol

    I have plastic, metal and rubber parts that are compatible with ethyl alcohol (they are regularly washed in a bath of ethyl alcohol). I’m looking for a substitute solution to wash these parts and I am considering denatured alcohol, however, I’m concerned that the denaturing ingredients will...
  35. L

    Natural preservatives. vinegar, alcohol, sugar, salt, oil.

    there are a lot of natural preservatives. vinegar, alcohol, sugar, salt, oil. what is the best? Is there any predominant research about this topic?
  36. F

    Why can't alcohol react with aqueous NaOH?

    Hi, alcohol is able to react with Na (s), but not NaOH (aq) Why is it so? In aqueous NaOH, there are mobile Na+ and OH-, so shouldn't alcohol be able to react with Na+ to form salt too? Many thanks!
  37. G

    Medical Risk of cancer from smoking or alcohol?

    Does anyone have a number or source how much the chance of dying of cancer increases if you smoke or drink? The actual question is: How many people from a group of smokers die additionally compared to a group of non-smokers? Somehow most press statements don't seem sufficient to answer...
  38. K

    Calculating Specific Heat of Alcohol Using a Copper Calorimeter

    Homework Statement A mass of 200 grams of copper, whose specific heat is 0.095, is heated to 100° C, and placed in 100 grams of alcohol at 8° C contained in a copper calorimeter, whose mass is 25 grams, and the temperature rises 28.5°C. Find the specific heat of the alcohol. Homework...
  39. icystrike

    Does Alcohol React with Acid to Produce Salt or Ester?

    I am uncertain if alcohol react with acid ( not carboxylic acid ) will produce salt or ester.
  40. xunxine

    Oxidation of Alcohol - Ethanol & Acids in Exposed Alcoholic Drinks

    What happens when alcoholic beverages are left exposed to air? i read that they are oxidised to ethanoic acid. Strictly only ethanoic acid? Why not say, propanoic acid? Or a mixture of acids possible to be present? Is it because only ethanol is present in alcoholic drinks? If so, only ethanol then?
  41. C

    How to Determine if Supplied 70% Ethanol was the correct Proportion of Alcohol

    You need to use 70% ethanol for an experiment. You only have a small quantity of 100% ethanol which is not enough to dilute and make the volume of 70% that you need. A chemistry friend of yours says he will make and distill some 70% ethanol for you. Unfortunately, your experiment doesn't work...
  42. M

    Does all alcohol undergo halogenation and controlled oxidation?

    This is the question from the lab of "comparision of three isomers of butanol" GR 12 pg 84
  43. K

    Oxidation reaction from alcohol to aldehyde

    My original question: Why do oxidation reactions from primary alcohols to aldehydyes/carboxylic acids, or secondary alcohols to ketones require an acid (positive hydrogen ion)? I can see that the reason we have an oxidizing agent is to take away two hydrogen ions from the alcohol, but why do...
  44. B

    What Is the Initial Temperature of Copper in a Mixed Substance System?

    Homework Statement What is the initial temperature of copper if, 11 g aluminum at 200 C and 21 g of copper are dropped into 46 cm^3 of ethyl alcohol at 15 C. The final temperature of the system is 22 C. Homework Equations Q=McT The Attempt at a Solution My work ...
  45. JaredJames

    Drugs vs Alcohol: What's Better for You?

    Right, I'm putting this here first to get some general opinions and if it eventually gets moved to a biology/medical section, that would be good. Basically there has been a lot of debate between my housemates about whether or not cannabis and marijuana are better for you to consume than...
  46. L

    Is this a reliable way to determine the alcohol %?

    Alcohol (ethanol) has a freezing point of -114 degrees Celcius. Can this be used to determine the alcohol percentage in a drink? Last week i put a glass of whiskey mixed with some water (about 1:1) and the surface was just frozen after i left it a night in the freezer, which was somewhere...
  47. X

    Organic Synthesis: Reduction of ketone to alcohol

    Hi. I was to plan and conduct the reduction of 4-t-butylcyclohexanone into 4-t-butylcyclohexanol using NaBH4 as reducing agent, MeOH as solvent, and NH4Cl. My question is about the use of NH4Cl. How does it act as a quenching agent? I've figured out that it acts as a quenching agent by removing...
  48. D

    Why do the boiling and melting points of alcohols increase with molecular mass?

    Homework Statement The boiling points (ºC) of methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, 1-butanol, and 1-pentanol are 64.7, 78.5, 97.2, 117 to 118, 137.5, respectively. The melting points are -97.8, -114.1, -1277.0, -90.0, and -79.0, respectively. Explain these trends with reference to molecular...
  49. P

    Is the Blood Alcohol Level High Enough for a DWI?

    Homework Statement A person will receive a DWI if his/her blood alcohol level (BAL) is 100mg per dL of blood or higher. Suppose a person is found to have a BAL of 0.033 mol of ethanol per liter of blood. Will the person receive a DWI? Assuming the cop isn't cool and just follows you...
  50. M

    How Does the Body Metabolize Alcohol and Where Do the Protons Go?

    In the metabolism of alcohol, where do the protons produced go? ie. CH3CH2OH + NAD+ -----> CH3CHO + NADH + H+
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