11 UnitUnitUnit - NCERT

1 After studying this Unit, you will beable to name alcohols, phenols andethers according to the IUPAC system of nomenclature; discuss the reactions involved inthe preparation of alcohols from(i) alkenes (ii) aldehydes, ketonesand carboxylic acids; discuss the reactions involved inthe preparation of phenols from(i) haloarenes (ii) benzenesulphonic acids (iii) diazoniumsalts and (iv) cumene; discuss the reactions forpreparation of ethers from(i) alcohols and (ii) alkyl halidesand sodium alkoxides/aryloxides; correlate physical properties ofalcohols, phenols and ethers withtheir structures.

2 Discuss chemical reactions of thethree classes of compounds onthe basis of their , phenols and ethers are the basic compounds for theformation of detergents, antiseptics and fragrances, , Phenols, Phenols, Phenols, Phenols, Phenolsand Eand Eand Eand Eand EthertherthertherthersssssAlcoholsAlcoho lsAlcoholsAlcoholsAlcohols, Phenols, Phenols, Phenols, Phenols, Phenolsand Eand Eand Eand Eand EthertherthertherthersssssYou have learnt that substitution of one or morehydrogen atom(s) from a hydrocarbon by another atomor a group of atoms result in the formation of an entirelynew compound having altogether different propertiesand applications.

3 Alcohols and phenols are formedwhen a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon, aliphatic andaromatic respectively, is replaced by OH group. Theseclasses of compounds find wide applications in industryas well as in day-to-day life. For instance, have youever noticed that ordinary spirit used for polishingwooden furniture is chiefly a compound containinghydroxyl group, ethanol. The sugar we eat, the cottonused for fabrics, the paper we use for writing, are allmade up of compounds containing OH groups. Justthink of life without paper; no note-books, books, news-papers, currency notes, cheques, certificates, etc.

4 Themagazines carrying beautiful photographs andinteresting stories would disappear from our life. Itwould have been really a different alcohol contains one or more hydroxyl (OH)group(s) directly attached to carbon atom(s), of analiphatic system (CH3OH) while a phenol contains OHgroup(s) directly attached to carbon atom(s) of anaromatic system (C6H5OH).The subsitution of a hydrogen atom in ahydrocarbon by an alkoxy or aryloxy group(R O/Ar O) yields another class of compounds knownas ethers , for example, CH3 OCH3 (dimethyl ether). Youmay also visualise ethers as compounds formed by2015-16316 ChemistryThe classification of compounds makes their study systematic andhence simpler.

5 Therefore, let us first learn how are alcohols, phenolsand ethers classified?Alcohols and phenols may be classified as mono , di , tri- orpolyhydric compounds depending on whether they contain one, two, three or many hydroxyl groups respectively in their structures asgiven below:substituting the hydrogen atom of hydroxyl group of an alcohol orphenol by an alkyl or aryl this unit, we shall discuss the chemistry of three classes ofcompounds, namely alcohols, phenols and , Di,Tri orPolyhydricCompoundsMonohydric alcohols may be further classified according to thehybridisation of the carbon atom to which the hydroxyl group isattached.

6 (i)Compounds containing 3 COH spbond: In this class of alcohols,the OH group is attached to an sp3 hybridised carbon atom of analkyl group. They are further classified as follows:Primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols: In these three types ofalcohols, the OH group is attached to primary, secondary andtertiary carbon atom, respectively as depicted below:Allylic alcohols: In these alcohols, the OH group is attached toa sp3 hybridised carbon next to the carbon-carbon double bond,that is to an allylic carbon. For example2015-16317 Alcohols, Phenols and EthersAllylic and benzylic alcohols may be primary, secondary or tertiary.

7 (ii)Compounds containing 2 COH sp bond: These alcohols contain OH group bonded to a carbon-carbon double bond , to avinylic carbon or to an aryl carbon. These alcohols are also knownas vinylic alcohol: CH2 = CH OHPhenols: Ethers are classified as simple or symmetrical, if the alkyl or arylgroups attached to the oxygen atom are the same, and mixed orunsymmetrical, if the two groups are different. Diethyl ether,C2H5OC2H5, is a symmetrical ether whereas C2H5 OCH3 and C2H5OC6H5are unsymmetrical OH2CH3CH3(i)H C2 CHCH OH2(ii)CH3CH2CH OH2(iii)CHOHCH3(iv)CH2 OHCHCH3(v)CHOHCHCCH3CH3(vi) the following as primary, secondary and tertiary allylic alcohols in the above QuestionsIntext QuestionsIntext QuestionsIntext QuestionsIntext Nomenclature(a) Alcohols: The common name of an alcohol is derived from thecommon name of the alkyl group and adding the word alcohol to example, CH3OH is methyl alcohols.

8 In these alcohols, the OH group is attached toa sp3 hybridised carbon atom next to an aromatic ring. For example2015-16318 ChemistryAccording to IUPAC system (Unit 12, Class XI), the name of an alcoholis derived from the name of the alkane from which the alcohol is derived,by substituting e of alkane with the suffix ol . The position ofsubstituents are indicated by numerals. For this, the longest carbonchain (parent chain) is numbered starting at the end nearest to thehydroxyl group. The positions of the OH group and other substituentsare indicated by using the numbers of carbon atoms to which these areattached.

9 For naming polyhydric alcohols, the e of alkane is retainedand the ending ol is added. The number of OH groups is indicated byadding the multiplicative prefix, di, tri, etc., before ol . The positions of OH groups are indicated by appropriate locants , HO CH2 CH2 OHis named as ethane 1, 2-diol. Table gives common and IUPAC names of a few alcohols as : Common and IUPAC Names of Some AlcoholsCH3 OHMethyl alcoholMethanolCH3 CH2 CH2 OHn-Propyl alcoholPropan-1-olIsopropyl alcoholPropan-2-olCH3 CH2 CH2 CH2 OHn-Butyl alcoholButan-1-olsec-Butyl alcoholButan-2-olIsobutyl alcohol2-Methylpropan-1-oltert-Butyl alcohol2-Methylpropan-2-olGlycerolPropan e -1, 2, 3-triolCompoundCommon nameIUPAC nameCyclic alcohols are named using the prefix cyclo and consideringthe OH group attached to C (b) Phenols.

10 The simplest hydroxy derivative of benzene is is its common name and also an accepted IUPAC name. As structureof phenol involves a benzene ring, in its substituted compounds theterms ortho (1,2- disubstituted), meta (1,3-disubstituted) and para(1,4-disubstituted) are often used in the common , Phenols and EthersCommon namePhenolo-Cresolm-Cresolp-CresolIUPAC namePhenol2-Methylphenol3-Methylphenol4- MethylphenolDihydroxy derivatives of benzene are known as 1, 2-, 1, 3- and1, nameCatecholBenzene-diol1,2-ResorcinolBe nzene-diol1,3-Hydroquinone or quinolBenzene-diol1,4-IUPAC name(c) Ethers.