Questions tagged [alcohols]
For questions about saturated and unsaturated alcohols, their physical properties, their reactions, etc. For questions about phenol, use the [phenols] tag instead.
404
questions
13
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3answers
4k views
When I burn isopropyl alcohol (IPA), it burns orange. But when I burn ethyl alcohol, it burns totally blue. Why is this?
I burned them in a small aluminium tray. While IPA is burning orange, it produced the smell of soot, but while ethanol is burning blue there isn't any smell.
Also, ethanol made the tray really cold ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Cause of m/z = 56 peak in 4-methyl-1-pentanol
This is the mass spectrum for 4-methylpentan-1-ol:
From its structural formula, what could be the fragmentation which results in a peak at $m/z = 56?$
I was considering a few possibilities; could it ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
What is the true caloric impact of Alcohol?
I've only had 1 year of basic Chemistry at school, so I am waay too uneducated to answer this question myself:
What is the true caloric impact of ingested alcohol (ethanol) in the human body?
Here ...
-4
votes
1answer
50 views
Disinfectant production [closed]
One of my friends says that he made a disinfectant. These are the materials:
83% methanol
isopropyl alcohol
propylene glycol
and the others are: citral, geraniol, linalool, dlimonene, l alpha ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
Which mechanism should a reaction between the cyclopentylmethanol and the HBr should follow?
I just thought that the reaction should follow $\mathrm{S_{N}2}$ mechanism this is because the alkyl halide is primary but the book says that the reaction will follow $\mathrm{S_{N}1}$ mechanism ...
1
vote
0answers
68 views
Solubility of alcohols in non-polar solvents
The solubility of an alcohol in a non-polar solvent (like hexane) increases with size of the alcohol, as the non-polar chain increases. However, as the chain keeps increasing, will the solubility ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Concentrating mixtures of volatile compounds
My interest is primarily food-related here but I think this is a fairly general chemistry question. Let's say I took some liquid like lemon juice and ran it though a rotary evaporator to get just the ...
0
votes
2answers
85 views
How (in)flammable is “isopropyl alcohol” really? [closed]
I have an electric device which frequently gets very oily (it's a vaporizer for herbs). It came with a few individually packaged small "tissues" drenched in "isopropyl alcohol". I've used up them all ...
4
votes
2answers
134 views
False positive in lucas test for primary alcohol due to formation of tertiary carbocation by rearrangement?
From Wikipedia:
The Lucas test in alcohols is a test to differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols. It is based on the differences in reactivity of the three classes of ...
1
vote
0answers
17 views
Is dialkyldimethylammonium chloride suitable for sterilization in mycology? [closed]
In hobby-mycology 70% rubbing alcohol is commonly used for sterilizing work surfaces, bags, syringes, still air boxes, basically everything.
Alcohol however, seems to have some downsides, when it ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Measure ethanol volume fraction in a beverage [closed]
Given a sample of an alcoholic beverage (be it beer, wine, etc..), what are possible methods to find out the ABV (alcohol by volume) of it with moderate accuracy?
As fas as I know, some methods exist ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
Transposition in vicinal diols dehydration
In this reaction, I don't know how I could place a methyl in the benzyl carbon. My first idea was to treat the compound with OsO4/H2O2 to form the vicinal diol, and then dehydrate in acidic medium and ...
-1
votes
1answer
71 views
Which has a greater dipole moment: methylamine or methanol? [closed]
Which has a greater dipole moment: methylamine $(\ce{CH3NH2})$ or methanol $(\ce{CH3OH})?$
3
votes
1answer
131 views
Mass Spectra: 1-pentanol vs 3-pentanol
In mass spectrometry, 1-pentanol can be observed to have no peak at $m/z = 59$, whilst 3-pentanol can be observed to have a peak at $m/z = 59$.
Clearly the 3-pentanol peak at $m/z = 59$ is due to the ...
-1
votes
1answer
81 views
Mechanism of the reaction of cyclohexanol and concentrated nitric acid to form adipic acid [closed]
If someone could please give me the hint to how the initial attack is carried out, it'd be a huge help.
3
votes
1answer
144 views
Is Pinacol rearrangement the source for the ring expansion?
I have no idea what's happening as in the product (the answer is (a)) there is a new ring being formed on the left benzene. But as I studied after $\ce{H2O}$ leaves, a carbocation is then formed on ...
4
votes
1answer
72 views
Reduction of an Allylic Enoate to afford allylic alcohol in presence of Benzyl Acetal Groups
I have a question that requires finding a reagent for the reduction of an enoate to the corresponding allylic alcohol. Preferably done in one step too with an acid workup at the end too.
What types ...
4
votes
2answers
569 views
Taking volume contraction into account when mixing water with ethanol
To calculate the amount of purified water and the amount of ethanol (96% Vol.) which is needed for a desired/variable amount of a mixture - given a desired/variable percentage of ethanol - I use the ...
1
vote
0answers
25 views
Does myristyl glucoside contain alcohol? [closed]
I read that "myristyl glucoside is a product obtained by the condensation of myristyl alcohol with aglucose polymer." Does that mean that alcohol is part of the final product/myristyl glucoside itself?...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
What exactly is an 'activated' alcohol? Benzylic vs. Allylic vs. Aliphatic
I'm currently writing a report about the oxidations of various alcohols using different catalytic systems. In all papers it is stated that benzylic and allylic alcohols are "activated", while ...
1
vote
0answers
44 views
Rate determining step in oxidation of alcohols using chromium-related compounds
I wanted to ask a question about the kinetics of an oxidation reaction using chromium reagents.
I was given a lecture today on the mechanism of alcohol oxidations using Chromate (VI) reagents:
My ...
0
votes
1answer
116 views
What does ethylene glycol decompose to when exposed to air for an extended period of time?
I came across this article on wikipedia on ethylene glycol stating that it decomposes fairly quickly. I was under the impression that ethylene glycol was dangerous to let leach into soil, but I think ...
0
votes
1answer
82 views
What should be the name of the given compound?
Following compound is named as
(1) 6-Mercaptocyclohex-4-ene-1,3-diol
(2) 1-Mercaptocyclohex-2-ene-4,6-diol
(3) 1-Mercaptocyclohex-5-ene-2,4-diol
(4) 4-Mercaptocyclohex-2-ene-1,5-diol ...
1
vote
0answers
52 views
Is the reaction of anhydrous aluminium(III) chloride and anhydrous ethanol reversible?
I'm planning an experiment that I'll do in silico in the near future, and one of the steps involves the extraction of the $\ce{AlCl3 · C2H5OH}$ adduct without any water in it.
Can the ethanol be ...
-1
votes
1answer
138 views
Do secondary alcohols react faster than primary alcohols or is it the other around? [closed]
My questions is that do secondary alcohols react faster than primary alcohols or is it the other around? This for the oxidation of the alcohol to a ketone or an aldehyde.
This reaction is with KMnO4 ...
1
vote
2answers
130 views
Alkene reaction with acid via SN1 reaction
I want to ask a question about alkenes and their reactivity with acids.
From high school studies, I recall that if you had an acid $\ce{H3O+}$ i.e. $H^+$ that it would react with an alkene as shown ...
0
votes
0answers
64 views
Nucleophilic Substitution Reaction of Alcohol
What is the final product?
According to me, it's option (3). But given answer in the booklet is (2).
Given primary alcohol undergoes SN2 reaction to produce isopentyl bromide and the latter again ...
0
votes
1answer
31 views
Ingredients for cleaning optical elements
I have recently purchased a cleaning solution for precision optics which has the following ingredients (amounts were not specified):
Ethyl Alcohol
Methylethylketon
Aqua
Diethyl Ether
Isopropyl
...
1
vote
0answers
129 views
When alcohol is used to sterilize, what about it changes that it can't be re-used? [closed]
I read online that when you use regular household rubbing alcohol to soak something for sterilization purposes, you're then supposed to toss it out. I'm just curious why.
Like, as long as there's a ...
0
votes
1answer
124 views
Which reaction occurs first when 5-hexen-1-ol reacts with sulfuric acid?
I am trying to solve this question:
Find the major product of the following reaction:
Now we could either do electrophilic addition on the alkene or do dehydration of alcohol. These two ...
-1
votes
2answers
1k views
Why doesn't ethanol dissolve in sodium bicarbonate?
Today I experimented with different solvents and solutes and was a bit surprised by one result. When I added ethanol to dilute sodium bicarbonate and tapped the test tube against my palm to mix it, I ...
0
votes
1answer
102 views
What is an example of an isopropyl alcohol resistant caulk?
What is a caulk (or bonding adhesive) that can be exposed permanently submerged in an isopropyl alcohol (>91%) bath?
The idea came from this previous question:
Silicone vs Alcohol
It seems from one ...
0
votes
0answers
19 views
How to confirm experimentally that a hemi-acetal compound has formed?
I have read that under mildly acidic or alkaline conditions alcohols can attack aldehydes/ketones to produce hemi-acetals. But the reaction is reversible, so the reactants and the hemia-cetal are in ...
0
votes
0answers
89 views
Alcohol Nonmeclature - Organic Chemistry
I'm new to organic chemistry and having some trouble naming alcohols. I came across this molecule, I believe it's name is 3-ethyl 2-pentanol, but my online checker system is saying that I am wrong. Am ...
1
vote
0answers
27 views
Diketone intramolecular reaction question
I realize that one of the methyl groups on either carbonyl compound will become deprotonated and then it will attack the other carbonyl to form a pentane ring. However, with the methyl group in the ...
-2
votes
1answer
175 views
Role of hcl gas in organic reactions [closed]
I encountered many questions in the competitive exam field of high school organic chemistry where we add some compounds and treat it in excess alcohol solutions in the presence of dry hcl gas, it is ...
1
vote
0answers
44 views
Hemiacetal formation mechanism
The question is asking which reagents can be used to carry out this reaction. I get the L (PCC) is used to turn the primary alcohol into an aldehyde. However, I believe that is not the only reagent ...
3
votes
0answers
64 views
Ethyl acetate produces red colour on ceric ammonium nitrate test
When I did CAN test on ethyl acetate red colour was seen. I thought water may get added with Ethyl acetate to produce
this compound which in turn gave red coloration but carbon should not make three ...
5
votes
2answers
809 views
Why is the Lucas test not recommended to differentiate higher alcohols?
I read about the Lucas test for alcohols in which a cloudy precipitate is produced with a tertiary or secondary alcohol. However, on a side note it was mentioned that this test is useful only for ...
0
votes
1answer
221 views
Doubts Regarding Ceric Ammonium Nitrate Test for Alcohols
I read about Ceric Ammonium Nitrate Test for Alcohols and a red colour is produced if the solution has an alcohol functional group however as a side note it was mentioned that this test is only useful ...
0
votes
1answer
102 views
Neutralize the smell of alcohol in liquid chalk
i'm trying to mix my own liquid chalk, which is a simple mixture of chalk and a high percentage alcohol in a ~2 part chalk 1 part alcohol relation.
Unfortunately the smell is rather intensive and I ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
Is there an easy way to detect methanol in spirits (which may have been adulterated)?
Is there an easy way to detect methanol in spirits, which, you suspect, may have been adulterated?
1
vote
1answer
111 views
Synthesis of phenethyl alcohol from benzene
How can I make phenethyl alcohol $(\ce{C6H5CH2CH2OH})$ from benzene?
I have got information that phenethyl alcohol is made from benzene by Friedel-Crafts reaction between benzene and ethylene oxide ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Does 2,2-dimethylpropan-1-ol give a positive Lucas test? [duplicate]
I learnt that the Lucas test involves the formation of a carbocation and it gives a positive test based on the stability of the carbocation formed, and hence primary alcohols do not show turbidity (...
1
vote
1answer
222 views
Does benzene react with steam to create an alcohol?
Benzene has a molecular formula of $\ce{C6H6},$ right? Surely it has some alkene-like properties because of the double bonds, so can it undergo a hydration reaction to create alcohol?
2
votes
1answer
90 views
Reaction between 1-methylcyclopentanol and potassium permanganate
In my basic organic chemistry class, I learned that only primary and secondary alcohols undergo oxidation (using $\ce{KMnO4}$).
However, what is the outcome of reacting tertiary alcohol (1-...
-3
votes
1answer
1k views
List of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohol [closed]
Is there a list of primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols examples anywhere?
1
vote
1answer
518 views
Enthalpy of combustion of 1-butanol
1-butanol $\ce{C4H10O}$
So I have absolutely no idea how to find the enthalpy and I did some looking on the internet with no use since I don't understand.
I came here hoping someone generous could ...
1
vote
0answers
39 views
Comparing the emission spectrum of ethanol and mixture of alcohols
Sorry if this question has a simple answer, but I've been unable to find it elsewhere.
Using a diffraction grating, burning ethanol (99.9%) will produce a rainbow of colours. However, when burning ...
1
vote
1answer
810 views
what is mechanism for reaction phenol + dimethylsulphate -> anisole
Dimethyl sulphate breaks the oh bond and forms anisole. How does the reaction proceed?? is it oxygen lone pair attacks on sulphur which has partial positive charge?? the reaction takes place in ...
