Alcohol (chemistry)

This article is about the class of chemical compounds. For the alcohol found in alcoholic drinks, see Alcohol (drug). For other uses, see Alcohol (disambiguation).

Ball-and-stick model of an alcohol molecule (R3COH). The red and white balls represent the hydroxyl group (−OH). The three "R"s stand for carbon substituents or hydrogen atoms.[1]

In chemistry, an alcohol (from Arabic al-kuḥl 'the kohl'),[2] is a type of organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl (−OH) functional group bound to a saturated carbon atom.[3][4] Alcohols range from the simple, like methanol and ethanol, to complex, like sugars and cholesterol. The presence of an OH group strongly modifies the properties of hydrocarbons, conferring hydrophilic (water-loving) properties. The OH group provides a site at which many reactions can occur.

  1. ^ "alcohols". IUPAC Gold Book. 2014. doi:10.1351/goldbook.A00204. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  2. ^ "The Origin Of The Word 'Alcohol'". Science Friday. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  3. ^ IUPAC, Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book") (1997). Online corrected version: (2006–) "Alcohols". doi:10.1351/goldbook.A00204
  4. ^ Saul Patai, ed. (1971). The Hydroxyl Group. PATAI'S Chemistry of Functional Groups. doi:10.1002/9780470771259. ISBN 978-0-470-77125-9.