Alcohol

Alcohols such as ethanol and glycerol contain hydroxy groups on carbon chemical atoms with only single covalent bonds.

The diol with structure $\mathrm{HOC}{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{OH}$. In a metal-nanostructure polyol process it can serve as a high-boiling solvent and part of the reducing chemistry; reaction conditions and additives determine the actual reduction and growth rates.

An alcohol whose hydroxyl-bearing saturated carbon has two carbon substituents and one hydrogen.

An alcohol whose hydroxyl-bearing saturated carbon has one carbon substituent; methanol is often treated as a special closely related case.

An alcohol whose hydroxyl-bearing carbon is bonded to three carbon substituents. Its oxygenated carbon carries no directly attached proton, so it lacks an ordinary carbon-proton HSQC cross peak.

$\mathrm{Br}(\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2{)}_4\mathrm{OH}$, a bifunctional four-carbon building block. The terminal groups are not vicinal; synthetic protection permits selective use of the bromide or alcohol.

A compound with a halogen and hydroxyl group on adjacent carbons. alkoxide formation can permit intramolecular SN2 reaction to an epoxide.

A halohydrin with bromine on the carbon adjacent to OH. Its relative stereochemistry can select between properly aligned epoxide closure and semipinacol rearrangement.

2-Phenylethanol is ${\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{OH}$, an aromatic-ring-containing primary alcohol. Its hydroxyl group is separated from the ring by two carbon positions.

It is distinct from benzyl alcohol, where the hydroxyl-bearing carbon is directly attached to the ring. That spacing changes the relationship between the aromatic system and the alcohol functionality.

1-Propanol is the primary alcohol $\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_3\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{OH}$. Its hydroxyl group lies at an end of the three-carbon chain.

Its constitutional isomer 2-propanol has the same formula but a secondary hydroxyl-bearing carbon. The distinction changes oxidation products: the primary alcohol can form an aldehyde, whereas oxidation of the secondary isomer forms a ketone.

A propargylic alcohol has its hydroxyl-bearing carbon adjacent to a carbon–carbon triple bond. Its alkoxide can coordinate a metal hydride and direct alkyne reduction.