When primary alcohols undergo catalytic dehydrogenation (using Cu or Ag catalyst at 573 K), they lose hydrogen and form aldehydes. For example: CH₃CH₂OH → CH₃CHO + H₂. Secondary alcohols form ketones, while tertiary alcohols resist this reaction.

Denatured alcohol is ethanol made unfit for drinking by adding poisonous substances like methanol, pyridine, or copper sulfate. This is done to avoid the high excise duty on alcohol meant for drinking, while making it available for industrial use.

PCC (Pyridinium Chlorochromate) is a mild oxidizing agent that oxidizes primary alcohols to aldehydes and stops at that stage. It does not further oxidize aldehydes to carboxylic acids, unlike strong oxidizing agents like KMnO₄ or K₂Cr₂O₇.

Tertiary alcohols do not have a hydrogen atom attached to the carbon bearing the -OH group. Oxidation requires removal of this hydrogen along with the -OH group, which is not possible in tertiary alcohols without breaking C-C bonds.

Secondary alcohols oxidize to ketones and cannot be further oxidized easily (unlike primary alcohols which go to carboxylic acids). Propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol) oxidizes to propanone (acetone): CH₃CHOHCH₃ → CH₃COCH₃.

Primary alcohols undergo oxidation to aldehydes first, which further oxidize to carboxylic acids under strong oxidizing conditions. Propan-1-ol oxidizes to propanal, then to propanoic acid with excess oxidizing agent like acidified K₂Cr₂O₇.

Acid-catalyzed dehydration of alcohols proceeds through E1 mechanism (via carbocation intermediate) and follows Saytzeff’s rule: the more substituted alkene (more stable) is the major product when multiple products are possible.

At 443 K (170°C), concentrated H₂SO₄ causes dehydration of ethanol to form ethene (ethylene). The reaction involves removal of a water molecule: C₂H₅OH → C₂H₄ + H₂O. This is an elimination reaction.

Tertiary alcohols react immediately with Lucas reagent at room temperature, producing turbidity due to the formation of insoluble alkyl chloride. The reaction follows the order: tertiary > secondary > primary, based on carbocation stability.

Methanol is the most acidic among simple alcohols. Acidity decreases as the size of the alkyl group increases because alkyl groups are electron-donating (+I effect), which destabilizes the alkoxide ion (RO⁻) formed after deprotonation.

Lower alcohols can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules through their -OH groups. The small hydrocarbon part does not significantly interfere with this hydrogen bonding, making them completely miscible with water.

Among isomeric alcohols, primary alcohols have higher boiling points than secondary, which have higher boiling points than tertiary alcohols. This is due to the extent of hydrogen bonding. Butan-1-ol, being a primary alcohol, has the most extensive hydrogen bonding.

Alcohols form intermolecular hydrogen bonds due to the presence of the -OH group. These hydrogen bonds are stronger than the van der Waals forces in alkanes, requiring more energy to break, thus resulting in higher boiling points.

Ketones have two alkyl groups attached to the carbonyl carbon. Addition of a Grignard reagent introduces a third alkyl group, producing a tertiary alcohol after hydrolysis.

Aldehydes (except formaldehyde) have one alkyl group. When a Grignard reagent adds to an aldehyde, the product after hydrolysis is a secondary alcohol with two alkyl groups attached to the carbinol carbon.

Formaldehyde has no alkyl groups attached to the carbonyl carbon. When a Grignard reagent (RMgX) adds to formaldehyde, it produces a primary alcohol (RCHâ‚‚OH) after hydrolysis.

Acetone is a ketone. Reduction of ketones produces secondary alcohols. Acetone reduces to propan-2-ol (isopropyl alcohol): CH₃COCH₃ + 2[H] → CH₃CHOHCH₃.

Hydroboration-oxidation is an anti-Markovnikov addition reaction. The -OH group adds to the less substituted carbon of the double bond, providing a way to make alcohols that cannot be easily obtained by direct hydration.

Acid-catalyzed hydration of propene follows Markovnikov’s rule, where the H⁺ adds to the carbon with more hydrogen atoms, and -OH adds to the more substituted carbon, producing propan-2-ol (CH₃-CHOH-CH₃).

Prop-2-en-1-ol (CHâ‚‚=CH-CHâ‚‚OH) is an allylic alcohol because the -OH group is attached to a carbon atom adjacent to a C=C double bond (allylic position).

The carbon atom bearing the -OH group in alcohols is sp³ hybridized, forming four sigma bonds with tetrahedral geometry. The oxygen is also sp³ hybridized.

The longest carbon chain has 4 carbons (butane). The -OH group is on carbon 2, counting from the end nearest to the -OH group. Therefore, the IUPAC name is butan-2-ol.

Glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol) contains three -OH groups, making it a trihydric alcohol. Its structure is CHâ‚‚OH-CHOH-CHâ‚‚OH.

Secondary alcohols have the -OH group attached to a carbon atom that is bonded to two other carbon atoms. In propan-2-ol (CH₃-CHOH-CH₃), the carbon bearing -OH is attached to two methyl groups.