Table of contents

1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 17m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 19m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids4h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes

Naming Alcohols

Organic Chemistry

4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes

Naming Alcohols

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2:51 minutes

Problem 23a,b

Textbook Question

Give each of the following a systematic name and indicate whether each is a primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohol:
a.
b.

Verified step by step guidance

Step 1: Analyze the first structure (CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2OH). Identify the longest continuous carbon chain, which contains six carbons. The hydroxyl (-OH) group is attached to the terminal carbon, making it a primary alcohol.

Step 2: Assign the systematic name for the first structure. The parent chain is hexane, and the hydroxyl group is on the first carbon. The name is 1-hexanol.

Step 3: Analyze the second structure. Identify the longest continuous carbon chain, which contains five carbons. The hydroxyl (-OH) group is attached to the second carbon, and there is a methyl group also attached to the second carbon. Additionally, there is a chlorine atom attached to the fifth carbon.

Step 4: Assign the systematic name for the second structure. The parent chain is pentane, and substituents are named in alphabetical order. The hydroxyl group is on the second carbon, the methyl group is on the second carbon, and the chlorine atom is on the fifth carbon. The name is 2-methyl-5-chloropentan-2-ol.

Step 5: Determine the type of alcohol for the second structure. Since the hydroxyl group is attached to a carbon that is bonded to two other carbons, it is a secondary alcohol.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Systematic Naming of Alcohols

Systematic naming of alcohols follows the IUPAC nomenclature rules, where the longest carbon chain containing the hydroxyl (-OH) group is identified. The suffix '-ol' is added to the name of the alkane corresponding to the longest chain, and the position of the -OH group is indicated by a number. For example, in butanol, the -OH group is on the first carbon of a four-carbon chain.

Classification of Alcohols

Alcohols are classified based on the number of carbon atoms bonded to the carbon atom that carries the hydroxyl group. A primary alcohol has the -OH group attached to a carbon that is bonded to only one other carbon, a secondary alcohol has it attached to a carbon bonded to two other carbons, and a tertiary alcohol has it attached to a carbon bonded to three other carbons. This classification affects the alcohol's reactivity and properties.

Structural Representation of Organic Compounds

Understanding structural representations, such as condensed formulas or skeletal structures, is crucial for identifying functional groups and determining the classification of alcohols. These representations visually convey how atoms are connected in a molecule, allowing for the identification of the longest carbon chain and the position of the hydroxyl group, which are essential for systematic naming and classification.