3.3.5 - alcohols

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

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Front (Question)

what is the general formula for the alcohol homologous series

Back (Answer)

Cn, H2n+1, OH

Front (Question)

what is the suffix for alcohols

Back (Answer)

-ol

Front (Question)

do you need numbers for naming alcohols

Back (Answer)

yes - which carbon atom the alcohol functional group is attached to

Front (Question)

what is the suffix for 2 -OH groups

Back (Answer)

-diol

Front (Question)

what is the suffix for 3 -OH groups

Back (Answer)

-triol

Front (Question)

primary alcohols

Back (Answer)

• OH group is attached to a carbon with one alkyl group attached

Front (Question)

secondary alcohols

Back (Answer)

• OH group is attached to a carbon with 2 alkyl groups attached

Front (Question)

tertiary alcohols

Back (Answer)

• OH group is attached to a carbon with 3 alkyl groups attached

Front (Question)

dehydration of alcohols

Back (Answer)

you can make alkenes by eliminating water from alcohols in a dehydration reaction (i.e. elimination of water)

#10

Front (Question)

what does dehydration of alcohols allow you to produce and why is this important

Back (Answer)

allows you to produce alkenes from renewable resources which is important as you can produces polymers e.g. polyethene without needing oil

#11

Front (Question)

in the dehydration of ethanol, what is ethanol heated with

Back (Answer)

ethanol is heated with a concentrated sulfuric acid catalyst

#12

Front (Question)

dehydration of an alcohol: step 1

Back (Answer)

• lone pair of electrons from the oxygen bonds to an H+ from the acid. The alcohol is protonated, giving the oxygen a positive charge

#13

Front (Question)

dehydration of an alcohol: step 2

Back (Answer)

• positively charged oxygen pulls electrons away from the carbon. An H20 molecule leaves, creating an unstable carbocation intermediate

#14

Front (Question)

dehydration of an alcohol: step 3

Back (Answer)

• carbocation loses an H+

#15

Front (Question)

dehydration of an alcohol: step 4

Back (Answer)

• alkene is formed along with H2O and H+

#16

Front (Question)

what can also be used as a catalyst in the dehydration of alcohols

Back (Answer)

phosphoric acid

#17

Front (Question)

give 2 ways ethanol can be produced?

Back (Answer)

• hydration of ethene • fermentation of glucose

#18

Front (Question)

what is the standard industrial method for producing alcohols

Back (Answer)

hydrate an alkene using steam in the presence of an acid catalyst

#19

Front (Question)

how to produce ethanol from ethene

Back (Answer)

steam hydration of ethene is used industrially to produce ethanol

#20

Front (Question)

conditions for hydration of ethene to make ethanol

Back (Answer)

ethene can be hydrated by steam at 300 degrees C and a pressure of 60atm. it needs a solid phosphoric(V) acid catalyst

#21

Front (Question)

is the reaction to make ethanol from ethene reversible?

Back (Answer)

yes it is reversible

#22

Front (Question)

hydration of ethene: step 1

Back (Answer)

• pair of electrons from the double bond bonds to an H+ from the acid

#23

Front (Question)

hydration of ethene: step 2

Back (Answer)

• lone pair of electrons from a water molecule bonds to the carbocation

#24

Front (Question)

hydration of ethene: step 3

Back (Answer)

water loses an H+