Summary:
- An alcohol is an organic compound that contains one or more hydroxyl (−OH) groups.
- The general formula for alcohols is R−OH.
- The –OH group in an alcohol is covalently bonded to a carbon atom and does not ionize in solution.
- The steps for naming alcohols are listed below.
- The smallest and lightest alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol) are completely soluble in water in all proportions.
- The presence of hydrogen bonds in alcohols also explains the relatively high boiling points of alcohols compared to alkanes of similar molar mass.