Alcohols Oxygen Comes on Board

Alcohols, although not strictly hydrocarbons since they also contain oxygen atoms, will be briefly considered here because we included them in our discussion of fuels. Alcohols have the general formula ROH, with R representing an alkyl group. Alcohols are essentially alkanes in which one of the hydrogen 

Methanol (GH OH), also called methyl alcohol, can be prepared from a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen known as synthesis gas. High pressure, high temperature, and a catalyst are used to increase the yield. 

An old method of producing methanol involved heating a hardwood such as beech, hickory, maple, or birch in the absence of air. For this reason, methanol is sometimes called wood alcohol. Methanol is highly toxic. Drinking as little as 30 mL can cause death, and smaller amounts (10—15 mL) cause blindness. 

Ethanol (G HgOH), also called ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, can be obtained by the fermentation of carbohydrates (starch, sugars). 

Additional classes of functional groups are discussed in Chapter 14. 

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