ALCOHOLS AND ETHERS

Alcohols and Ethers are organic compounds containing oxygen. Alcohols have a hydroxyl group (–OH) attached to a carbon atom, making them polar and capable of forming hydrogen bonds, which increases their boiling points and solubility in water. They can be classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary depending on the number of carbon atoms bonded to the carbon bearing the –OH group. Alcohols can be prepared by hydration of alkenes, reduction of aldehydes, ketones, or carboxylic acids. Chemically, they undergo oxidation, dehydration, esterification, and substitution reactions. Ethers, on the other hand, have the general formula R–O–R′, where an oxygen atom links two alkyl or aryl groups. They are relatively less reactive and have lower boiling points than alcohols because they cannot form hydrogen bonds between their own molecules. Ethers are commonly used as solvents and anesthetics due to their stability and volatility.