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Polyhydric Alcohols and Phenol

Chemistry Grade 10 Difficulty 4/5

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Polyhydric alcohols

Polyhydric alcohols contain two or more hydroxyl groups attached to saturated carbon atoms. A diol has two –OH groups and a triol has three. Important examples are ethane-1,2-diol, HOCH2CH2OH, and propane-1,2,3-triol, HOCH2CHOHCH2OH, commonly called glycerol. Names include the positions of the hydroxyl groups and endings such as -diol or -triol.

Several –OH groups allow extensive hydrogen bonding. Many low-molar-mass polyhydric alcohols are viscous, have high boiling points and mix well with water. These trends arise from intermolecular forces, although molecular shape and chain length also matter. Fresh copper(II) hydroxide can form an intense blue solution or complex with many polyhydric alcohols whose OH groups are suitably arranged; this observation helps distinguish them from typical monohydric alcohols.

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