Physical and chemical properties of alcohol

their chemical structure. Alcohols are formed when a hydroxyl group is swapped for a hydrogen atom in an aliphatic carbon molecule (e.g., ethanol). Consequently, the molecule of alcohol is divided into two parts: one with an alkyl group and another with a hydroxyl functional group. Their physical and chemical properties distinguish them from other species. Alcohol exhibits the following physical and chemical features, to name a few examples.

Physical Properties of Alcohol

1. The Boiling Point of Alcohols

In many cases, the boiling point of alcohol and other hydrocarbons with comparable molecular weights is greater than that of other hydrocarbons. Alcohol molecules’ hydroxyl groups produce intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The longer the aliphatic carbon chain, the higher the boiling point of alcohol. The Van der Waals forces and boiling points of aliphatic carbon chains decrease as they get more complex. As a consequence, the boiling points of primary and secondary alcohols vary.

2. The Solubility of Alcohol

The presence of the hydroxyl group determines alcohol’s solubility in water. The hydroxyl group in alcohol contributes to hydrogen bonds, resulting in intermolecular hydrogen bonding. As a result of this water-alcohol interaction, hydrogen bonds are formed, allowing alcohol to be dissolved readily in water. However, hydrophobicity does not apply here. Alcohol becomes more soluble as the size of the alkyl groups rises.

3. The Acidity of Alcohol

An alkoxide reaction occurs when metals like salt and potassium react with alcoholic liquids. The acidic character of alcohol may be demonstrated in these interactions. Alcohol has an acidic character because of the polarity of the –OH bond, which is positively charged. When an electron-donating group is added, the solution’s acidity decreases as a result of the oxygen atom’s higher electron density. The oxygen atom does not share any electrons with first-generation alcohols, making them more acidic than second and third-generation alcohols.

The Chemical Properties of Alcohols

A wide variety of spontaneous chemical reactions are possible because of the C-O and O-H bonds dissociating in alcohols. The following are some of the most common chemical reactions involving alcohols:

The Oxidation of Alcohol

Aldehydes and ketones are formed when alcohols are oxidized in an oxidizing agent, and these compounds are then further oxidized to give carboxylic acids.

Alcoholic Dehydration

Alcohol dehydrates due to alcohols being exposed to protic acids (losing one water molecule), and alkenes are synthesized as a result. Alcohol-induced dehydration

Phenols

Hydroxyl groups are common in phenols, chemical compounds in which the central benzene ring is linked to another functional group. These acids are also known as carbolic acids. The hydroxyl group in their structure has a wide range of physical and chemical properties. The next part will cover some of the most critical phenolic chemical properties.

1. The Boiling Point of Phenols

Generally, phenolic hydrocarbons have higher boiling points than other hydrocarbons of comparable molecular weights. The hydroxyl groups on phenol molecules form intermolecular hydrogen bonds, primarily responsible for this. Phosphors’ boiling points grow with the number of carbon atoms in the compound.

2. The Solubility of Phenols

The hydroxyl group affects the solubility of phenol in water. The hydroxyl group in phenol is responsible for forming intermolecular hydrogen bonds between molecules. As a result, hydrogen bonds form between the water molecules and the phenol molecules, making the phenol molecules soluble in water.

3. The Acidity of the Phenol

Phenoxide is formed by reacting phenols with active metals such as sodium or potassium. These chemical reactions show the acidic nature of phenols. In phenol, the benzene ring’s sp2 hybridized carbon attached directly to the hydroxyl group acts as an electron-withdrawing group due to the presence of the sp2 hybridized carbon.

Consequently, it harms the electron density of oxygen. Phenoxide ions are more stable than alkoxide ions due to the delocalization of the negative charge in the benzene ring, which makes them more stable than alkoxide ions. As a consequence, phenols have a higher acidity than ethanol does.

Conclusion

We have learned that alcohols are organic compounds in which one hydrogen atom of an aliphatic carbon has been replaced by one that contains a hydroxyl group and that ethanols are organic molecules with a hydroxyl group. Thus, the alkyl group in one half of an alcohol molecule and the functional group in the other half of an alcohol molecule are two separate components of the same molecule. They are distinguished from other substances by a specific set of physical and chemical characteristics.