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3.5 Alcohols

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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#1
Front (Question)

What is the functional group of an alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Hydroxyl group -OH

#2
Front (Question)

What is the general formula of an alcohol?

Back (Answer)

CnH2n+1OH

#3
Front (Question)

How do you name alcohols (one prefix, one suffix)?

Back (Answer)

Hydroxyl- or -OH

#4
Front (Question)

What kind of intermolecular forces do alcohols have? Why?

Back (Answer)

Hydrogen bonding, due to the electronegativity difference in the OH bond

#5
Front (Question)

How do alcohols’ m.p. And b.p. Compare to other hydrocarbons’ of similar C chain lengths? Why?

Back (Answer)

Higher, because they have hydrogen bonding → stronger than Van der Waals forces

#6
Front (Question)

Are alcohols soluble in water? Why does solubility depend on chain length?

Back (Answer)

Soluble when short chain - OH hydrogen bonds to hydrogen bond in water Insoluble when long chain - non-polarity of C-H bond takes precedence

#7
Front (Question)

How can ethanol be made from crude oil?

Back (Answer)

Hydration of ethene via electrophilic addition (phosphoric acid catalyst H₃PO₄)

#8
Front (Question)

What are the advantages and disadvantages of hydration of ethene via electrophilic addition method?

Back (Answer)

Advantages - fast, continuous process, ethanol has a high purity Disadvantages - not renewable as from crude oil

#9
Front (Question)

How can ethanol be made by fermentation?

Back (Answer)

Plant carbohydrates broken down and fermented by enzymes in yeast → ethanol

#10
Front (Question)

What conditions are needed for fermentation to take place?

Back (Answer)

Enzymes in yeast as catalyst, 35°C, anaerobic conditions

#11
Front (Question)

What are the advantages and disadvantages of fermentation?

Back (Answer)

Advantages - renewable as from plants Disadvantages - slow, batch process, enzymes stop working at 15% alcohol so solution is not pure, needed to be fractionally distilled

#12
Front (Question)

In the future, how might most ethene be made? Why is it not made like this at the moment?

Back (Answer)

Dehydrate ethanol made by fermentation → ethene Not economical at the moment

#13
Front (Question)

Define carbon neutral

Back (Answer)

No net addition of CO2 to the atmosphere - carbon dioxide released when combusted = carbon dioxide absorbed as a plant

#14
Front (Question)

Explain how using ethanol in petrol engines could be considered to be carbon neutral.

Back (Answer)

Carbon dioxide released in fermentation and combustion = carbon dioxide absorbed when growing

#15
Front (Question)

Why would it probably not be entirely carbon neutral to use ethanol?

Back (Answer)

Other “carbon costs” associated with it e.g. Transport

#16
Front (Question)

What is a commercial fuel that uses ethanol? What else does it contain and why?

Back (Answer)

Methylated spirits - methanol (toxic, so it can’t be drunk)

#17
Front (Question)

What is an elimination reaction?

Back (Answer)

The removal of a smaller molecule from a larger one

#18
Front (Question)

Which group leaves the parent molecule in the case of alcohols?

Back (Answer)

OH and a H (to form water)

#19
Front (Question)

What physical conditions are needed for the elimination reaction from alcohols to alkenes? (2 alternatives)

Back (Answer)

Excess hot concentrated sulphuric acid or pass vapour over hot aluminium oxide

#20
Front (Question)

What forms if you partially oxidise a primary alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Aldehyde

#21
Front (Question)

What conditions are needed to partially oxidise a primary alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Dilute sulphuric acid, potassium dichromate (VI), distill product as it’s produced, gentle heating

#22
Front (Question)

What forms if you fully oxidise a primary alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Carboxylic acid

#23
Front (Question)

What conditions are needed to fully oxidise a primary alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Concentrated sulphuric acid, potassium dichromate (VI), reflux for about 20 mins, strong heating

#24
Front (Question)

What forms if you oxidise a secondary alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Ketone