Nomenclature for Compounds with Hydroxyl Groups
Those alcohols that include hydroxyl groups in their longest chain, are named according to the number of carbon atoms the chain has and the position of the hydroxyl group.
When the hydroxyl group is connected to an end carbon of the chain, the compound is referred to as alcohol and obtained the suffix “-ol.” For example, if there are three carbon atoms and hydroxyl group is bound to the first carbon, it is called “propanol.”
In this case, if the hydroxyl group is attached to the carbon within the chain, the number of the carbon is also used to indicate the position of hydroxyl group. Another example, if three carbon atoms are present and the hydroxyl group is connected to the second carbon, the name is given as “2-propanol.”
Like other compounds, those with multiple hydroxyl groups are named in a similar way; the prefix indicates the number of hydroxyl groups. This is illustrated by the fact that, for instance, a compound which contains two hydroxyl groups will be a “diol” and one which has three will be a “triol.”
IUPAC Nomenclature Rules
The IUPAC nomenclature rule with example for hydroxyl group is tabulated below:
Formula |
Parent Hydrocarbon |
IUPAC name |
---|---|---|
CH3-OH |
Methane |
Methanol |
CH3-CH2-OH |
Ethane |
Ethanol |
CH3-CH(OH)-CH3 |
Propane |
2-Propanol |
(CH3)3-C-OH |
2-Methyl propane |
2-Methyl-2-propanol |
Hydroxyl Group
Hydroxyl is an chemical group that plays a big role in organic chemistry. It is an -OH functional group with an oxygen atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, and it is usually represented as OH. These are the groups that are responsible for the framework and activity of the variety of organic compounds, and this in turn impacts their properties and reactivity. In this article, we will learn about hydroxyl group, its properties, compound containing hydroxyl group, their nomenclature rule etc.
Table of Content
- What is a Hydroxyl Group?
- Examples of Organic Compounds with Hydroxyl Groups
- Chemical Properties of Hydroxyl Group
- Nomenclature for Compounds with Hydroxyl Groups
- Hydroxyls in Alcohols, Phenols, and Carbohydrates