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14-1Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Introduction to Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry
Instructor Dr. Upali Siriwardane (Ph.D. Ohio State)
E-mail: [email protected]
Office: 311 Carson Taylor Hall ; Phone: 318-257-4941;
Office Hours: MWF 8:00 am - 10:00 am;
TT 9:00 – 10:00 am & 1:00-2:00 pm.
December 17, 2010 Test 1 (Chapters 12-13)
January 19, 2011 Test 2 (Chapters 14,15 & 16)
February 7, 2011 Test 3(Chapters 17, 18 & 19)
February 23, 2011 Test 4 (Chapters 20, 21 & 22)
February 24, 2011 Comprehensive Make Up Exam:
Chemistry 121(01) Winter 2010-11
14-2Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Chapter 14: Alcohols, Phenols, and Ethers14.1 Bonding Characteristics of Oxygen Atoms in Organic Compounds
14.2 Structural Characteristics of Alcohols
14.3 Nomenclature for Alcohols
14.4 Isomerism for Alcohols
14.6 Physical Properties of Alcohols
14.7 Preparation of Alcohols
14.8 Classification of Alcohols
14.9 Chemical Reactions of Alcohols
14.11 Structural Characteristics of Phenols
14.12 Nomenclature for Phenols
14.13 Physical and Chemical Properties of Phenols
14.15 Structural Characteristics of Ethers
14.16 Nomenclature for Ethers
14.18 Physical and Chemical Properties of Ethers
14.20 Sulfur Analogs and Alcohols
14.21 Sulfur Analogs of Ethers
Menthol: A Useful Naturally Occurring Terpene Alcohol; Ethers as General
Anesthetics; Marijuana: The Most Commonly Used Illicit Drug; Garlic and
Onions: Odiferous Medicinal Plants
14-3Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Oxygen and Sulfur are Group VIA Elements
Has 6 valance electrons
• Two lone pairs
• Two bonding pairs, i.e., it can form two
covalent bonds
• Two single or one double bond
Oxygen and Sulfur
14-4Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
• Carbon forms four bonds
• Hydrogen forms one bond
• Oxygen and sulfur forms two bonds.
C
4 Valence Electrons4 Covalent bonds
No nonbonding pairs
H O
1 Valence Electron1 Covalent bonds
No nonbonding pairs
6 Valence Electrons2 Covalent bonds
2 nonbonding pairs
Bonding in organic compounds with O and S
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14-5Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohol: An organic compound in which an —
OH group is bonded to a saturated carbon
atom.
Saturated carbon atom: A carbon atom that is
bonded to four other atoms.
General structure: R-OH (OH is functional
group)
• Examples: CH3OH, C3H7OH
• OH in alcohols is not ionic as in NaOH.
Alcohols
14-6Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohols, and Ethers Structures
Functional groups:
alcohol: R-O-H
phenols: Ar-OH
ether: R-O-R'
thiol: R-S-H
Alkyl, R = CH3 Mehtyl etc.
14-7Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Common Names for Alcohols
Common names for Alcohols (C1-C4 alkyl
groups).
− Rule 1: Name all of the carbon atoms of the
molecule as a single alkyl group.
− Example: Methyl (C1), Ethyl (C2), propyl (C3) butyl (C4)
− Rule 2: Add the word alcohol, separating the
worlds with a space.
− Examples:
CH3 OH CH3 CH2 OH CH3 CH2 CH2 OH
CH3 CH OH
CH3
OH
Methyl alcohol Ethyl alcohol Propyl alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol Cyclobutyl alcohol
14-8Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
IUPAC Nomenclature of compounds
containing functional groups
The IUPAC system deals with functional groups two
different ways.
Modification of the hydrocarbon name to indicate the
presence of a functional group.
alcohol, -OH use -ol ending.
ether: CH3CH2-O-CH3 use methoxy methoxy
ethane
thiol: R-S-H use -thiol ending.
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14-9Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohol example
C - C - C - C - O - H
Base contains 4 carbon
- alkane name is butane
- remove -e and add -ol
alcohol name - butanol
OH is on the first carbon so -
1-butanol
14-10Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohols - Nomenclature
Unsaturated alcohols
• the double bond is shown by the infix -en-
• the hydroxyl group is shown by the suffix -ol
• number the chain to give OH the lower number
52
OH1346
trans-3-hexene-1-ol(E)-3-hexene-1-ol
14-11Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohols are classified as primary (1o),
secondary (2o), or tertiary (3o) alcohols
Primary alcohol (1o): Hydroxyl-bearing carbon
atom is bonded to only one other carbon
atom.
Secondary alcohol (2o): Hydroxyl bearing
carbon atom is bonded to two other carbon
atoms.
Tertiary alcohol (3o): Hydroxyl-bearing carbon
atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms.
Reactions are dependent on the type of alcohol
Alcohols Classification
14-12Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Classification of alcohols
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary.
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14-13Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohols - Nomenclature
Examples:
Ethanol(Ethyl alcohol)
1-Propanol(Propyl alcohol)
2-Propanol(Isopropyl alcohol)
1-Butanol(Butyl alcohol)
OH
OH
OH
OH
2-Butanol
(sec-Butyl alcohol)2-Methyl-1-propanol
(Isobutyl alcohol)
2-Methyl-2-propanol(t ert-Butyl alcohol)
OH
Cyclohexanol(Cyclohexyl alcohol)
OH
OH
OH
14-14Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohols - Nomenclature
Problem: Write the IUPAC name of each alcohol
OH
CH3 ( CH2 )6 CH2 OH
OH
(a)
(b)
(c)
Octanol
4-methyl-2-pentanol
2-isopropyl cyclohexanol
14-15Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Common names
Ethyl alcohol
ethylene glycol
glycerol
14-16Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
DiolsA diol with two -OH groups attached on two
adjacent carbon atoms.
Colorless, odorless, miscible in water, great
antifreeze, airplane deicer.
Extremely toxic.
Ethylene Glycol (1,2-Ethanediol)
Propylene Glycol (1,2-Propanediol)
is nontoxic and is used in drugs as solvent.
CH2 CH2
Ethylene glycol
OH OH
CH2 CH2 CH2
OH
Propylene glycol
OH
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14-17Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Intramolecular Alcohol Dehydration
Production of Alkene
A dehydration reaction in which the
components of water (-H and -OH) are
removed from a single reactant
Also known as an elimination reaction
CH3 CH CH2
OHH
H2SO4
180oC
CH3 CH CH2 + H2O
14-18Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohol Dehydration
In an intramolecular alcohol dehydration, the
components of water (-H and -OH) are
removed from neighboring carbon atoms
with the resultant introduction of a double
bond into the molecule.
14-19Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Intramolecular Alcohol Dehydration
Dehydration of an alcohol can result in more
than one alkene product, because hydrogen
loss can occur from either of the neighboring
carbon atoms.
Example: Dehydration of 2-butanol produces
two alkenes.
• Zaitsev’s rule can be used determine the
dominant product.
OH
2-Butanol
H2SO4
180oC+ H2O+
1-Butene 2-Butene
14-20Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Zaitisev’s Rule
The major product formed in an
intramolecular alcohol dehydration reaction
is the alkene that has the greatest number of
alkyl groups attached to the carbon atoms
of the double bond.
• In the following reaction, the predominant
product will be 2-butene because the product
has CH3 attached to each carbon atom.
OH
2-Butanol
H2SO4
180oC+ H2O+
1-Butene 2-Butene(Predominant)
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14-21Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Intermolecular Alcohol Dehydration
In this reaction, two molecules of alcohol
combine to form an ether (Condensation
reaction)
• Only true for primary alcohols and 140oC.
• Secondary and tertiary alcohols always give
alkene.
HO
H
H
H
H2SO4
140 oC
+ H2O
H
H
HH
H
O
H
2
14-22Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Oxidation
Addition of oxygen or removal of hydrogen
Mild Oxidizing Agents: KMnO4, K2Cr2O7,
H2CrO4
Primary and Secondary Alcohols can be
oxidized by mild oxidizing agents
R'C
H
OH
RKMnO4
R R'
O
+ 2H
14-23Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Reactivity of 1ry, 2ry and 3ry alcohols:
OH
1-propanol
OH
2-butanol
HO
2-methyl-2butanol
O
propaldehyde
O
OH
propionic acid
(O)(O)
O
2-butanone
(O)
(O)
No Reaction
Oxidation of Alcohols
14-24Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Halogenation
Alcohols undergo halogenation reactions
In this reaction a halogen atom is substituted
for the hydroxyl group producing an alkyl
halide.
Alkyl halide production by this reaction is
superior to alkyl halide production through
halogenation of an alkane
R OH + PX3 R-X + H3PO43 3
CH3CH2OH + CH3CH2Cl + H3PO4PCl3 33
(PX3: X is Cl or Br)
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14-25Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Constitutional isomerism is possible for
alcohols containing three or more carbon
atoms.
Two types of isomers
• Skeletal isomers
• Positional isomers
14-26Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Alcohol molecules have both polar and
nonpolar character.
• The hydroxyl group is polar part of the molecule
• The alkyl (R) group is nonpolar part of the
molcule
The physical properties depend on which
portion of the structure ―dominates.‖
• Length of the nonpolar carbon chain
• Number of polar hydroxyl groups
Physical Properties
14-27Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Physical Properties
Alcohols are polar compounds
• both the C-O and O-H bonds are polar covalent
-
+
+O
HH
H
C
H
14-28Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Hydrogen Bonding
• Figure shows the association of ethanol molecules in
the liquid state (only two of the three possible
hydrogen bonds to the upper oxygen are shown here).
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14-29Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Boiling Points
Alcohols have higher boiling points and are more soluble
in water than hydrocarbons
CH3CH2 CH2OH
CH3CH2 CH2CH3
CH3OH
CH3CH3
CH3CH2 OH
CH3CH2 CH3
CH3CH2 CH2CH2CH2OH
HOCH2CH2CH2CH2 OH
CH3CH2 CH2CH2CH2CH3
Structural Formula Name
Molecular
Weight
(g/mol)
BoilingPoint
(°C)Solubilityin Water
methanol 32 65 infinite
ethane 30 -89 insoluble
ethanol 46 78 infinite
propane 44 -42 insoluble
1-propanol 60 97 infinite
butane 58 0 insoluble
1-pentanol 88 138 2.3 g/100 g
1,4-butanediol 90 230 infinite
hexane 86 69 insoluble
14-30Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Boiling Points and Solubilities in Water (of selected 1-alcohols)
14-31Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Combustion reactiond of alcohol
Like other hydrocarbons alcohols are also
flammable.
The combustion products are carbon dioxide
and water.
2 CH3OH + 4O2 2CO2 + 4 H2O
14-32Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Conversion of ROH to RX
• water-soluble 3° alcohols react very rapidly with HCl,
HBr, and HI
• low-molecular-weight 1° and 2° alcohols are unreactive
under these conditions
CH3COH
CH3
CH3
HCl CH3 CCl
CH3
CH3
H2 O
2-Chloro-2-methylpropane
2-Methyl-2-propanol
25°C+ +
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14-33Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Reaction with SOCl2Thionyl chloride, SOCl2, is the most widely used
reagent for conversion of alcohols to alkyl
chlorides
OH SOCl2
Cl SO2 HCl
Thionylchloride
1-Heptanol
1-Chloroheptane
pyridine+
+ +
14-34Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Dehydration of Alcohols
An alcohol can be converted to an alkene by
elimination of H and OH from adjacent carbons (a
-elimination)
• 1° alcohols must be heated at high temperature in the
presence of an acid catalyst, such as H2SO4 or H3PO4
• 2° alcohols undergo dehydration at somewhat lower
temperatures
• 3° alcohols often require temperatures only at or
slightly above room temperature
14-35Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Dehydration of Alcohols
• examples:
140oC
Cyclohexanol Cyclohexene
OH
+ H 2 OH2 SO4
180oCCH3 CH2 OH
H2 SO4CH2 =CH 2 + H 2 O
+ H2 OCH3 COH
CH3
CH3
50oC
H2 SO4CH3 C= CH2
CH3
2-Methylpropene
(Isobutylene)
14-36Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Hydration-Dehydration
Acid-catalyzed hydration of an alkene and
dehydration of an alcohol are competing
processes
• large amounts of water favor alcohol formation
• scarcity of water or experimental conditions where
water is removed favor alkene formation
An alkene An alcohol
C C
H OH
H2O
acidcatalyst
+C C
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14-37Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Oxidation of Alcohols
• to oxidize a 1° alcohol to an aldehyde, use PCC
• PCC oxidation of geraniol gives geranial
Tertiary alcohols are not oxidized by either of these
reagents; they are resistant to oxidation
CrO3 HCl
N N
H
CrO3Cl-
Pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC)
Pyridine
+ +
+
OHPCC
CH2 Cl2H
O
Geraniol Geranial
14-38Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Acidity of Alcohols
• pKa values for several low-molecular-weight alcohols
(CH3 )3COH
(CH3 )2CHOH
CH3 CH2OH
H2O
CH3 OH
CH3 COOH
HCl
Compound pKa
-7
15.5
15.7
15.9
17
18
4.8
hydrogen chloride
acetic acid
methanol
water
ethanol
2-propanol
2-methyl-2-propanol
Structural Formula
Stronger acid
Weaker acid
*Also given for comparison are pKa values for water,
acetic acid, and hydrogen chloride.
14-39Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Reaction with Active Metals
Alcohols react with Li, Na, K, and other active
metals to liberate hydrogen gas and form metal
alkoxides
• Na is oxidized to Na+ and H+ is reduced to H2
• alkoxides are somewhat stronger bases that OH-
• alkoxides can be used as nucleophiles in nucleophilic
substitution reactions
• they can also be used as bases in -elimination
reactions
2CH3 CH2 OH 2Na 2CH3 CH2 O-Na
+ H2+ +
Sodium ethoxide
14-40Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Conversion of ROH to RX
Conversion of an alcohol to an alkyl halide involves
substitution of halogen for -OH at a saturated
carbon
• the most common reagents for this purpose are the
halogen acids, HX, and thionyl chloride, SOCl2
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14-41Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Prepared by hydration of alkenes
Alkenes react with water (an
unsymmetrical addition agent) in the
presence of sulfuric acid (the catalyst)
to form an alcohol
Markovnikov’s rule is used to determine
the predominant alcohol product
Preparation of Alcohols
14-42Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
14-43Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Oxidation of Alcohols
Oxidation of a 1° alcohol gives an aldehyde or a
carboxylic acid, depending on the oxidizing agent
and experimental conditions
• the most common oxidizing agent is chromic acid
• chromic acid oxidation of 1-octanol gives octanoic acid
CrO3 H2OH2SO4 H2CrO4+
Chromic acidChromium(VI)oxide
CH3 (CH2 )6CH2OHCrO3
H2SO4 , H2OCH3 (CH2 )6CH
O
CH3 (CH2 )6COH
O
Octanal(not isolated)
Octanoic acid1-Octanol
14-44Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
• Addition of H2 to carbonyl (C=O, ).
• It is similar to adding H2 to a double bond.
• In this case one of hydrogen will be added to carbon and the
other to oxygen atom of C=O.
O
CR
O
R' + H2C
H
R' OHR
R = H: AldehydeR = R: Ketone
Addition of H2 to carbonyl (C=O)
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14-45Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech 14-46Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
14-47Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech 14-48Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
It is possible to synthesize polymeric alcohols
with structures similar to those of
substituted polyethylenes
The simplest polymer is polyvinyl alcohol
(PVA)
• PVA is a tough, whitish polymer that can from
strong films,
• tubes, and fibers that are highly resistant to
hydrocarbon solvents
• Unlike most organic polymers, PVA is water-
soluble
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
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14-49Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Phenol: An organic compound in which an —OH group
is attached to a carbon atom that is part of an
aromatic carbon ring system
Aryl group: An aromatic carbon ring system from which
one hydrogen atom has been removed.
General formula for an aryl alcohol: Ar-OH
Substituted phenols: Aryl group substituted with other
groups like CH3, NO2 , etc.OH
phenol
OH
H3C
Cl
Substituted phenol
Phenols
Phenyl, Ar = C6H5
4-chloro-3-methyl phenol
14-50Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Phenols: Name ―Phenol‖ is approved by IUPAC
• Assign the position of the substituent followed by
its name and the word phenol
• Carbon atom with -OH is always number 1 and
the other substituents will be assigned minimum
possible numbers with reference to hydroxyl
carbon
HO
phenol
OHBr
3-bromophenol
HO
H3C
2-methylphenol
IUPAC names of Phenols
14-51Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Phenols
The functional group of a phenol is an -OH group
bonded to a benzene ring
1,2-Benzenediol(Catechol)
1,4-Benzenediol(Hydroquinone)
3-Methylphenol(m- Cresol)
Phenol
OH OHOHOH
OH
CH3
OH
14-52Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Phenols
• some phenols
OH
OH
OH
OCH3 OH
OH
Hexylresorcinol Eugenol Urushiol
OHCHO
OH
OCH3
2-Isopropyl-5-methylphenol(Thymol)
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde(Vanillin)
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14-53Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Acidity of Phenols
Phenols are significantly more acidic than alcohols
pKa = 9.95OH O-
Phenol Phenoxide ion
+ H2 O + H3 O+
CH3 CH2 OH H2 O CH3 CH2 O- H3 O+
pKa = 15.9
Ethanol Ethoxide ion
+ +
14-54Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Phenols :
• Low-melting solids or oily liquids at room
temperature.
• Sparingly soluble in water
• Many phenols have antiseptic and disinfectant
properties.
The simplest phenol: phenol
• A colorless solid with a medicinal odor
• Melting point: 41oC
• More soluble in water than any other phenols
Properties of Phenols
14-55Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Acidity of Phenols
Unlike alcohols, phenols are weak acids in
solution.
As acids, phenols have Ka values of about 10-10 M.
OH
+ H2O
O-
+ H3O+
Phenol Phenoxide Ion
14-56Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Phenols have antiseptic properties
• 4-hexylresorcinol is an ingredient in many
mouthwashes and throat lozenges.
• o-phenylphenol and 2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol are
the active ingredients in Lysol, a disinfectant.
Antiseptic Properties of Phenols
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14-57Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Phenols have antioxidant properties: BHA
(butylated hydroxy anisole) and BHT
(butylated hydroxy toluene) are used as food
preservatives to protect it from air oxidation
• Vitamin E is a phenolic antioxidant
A number of phenols found in plants are used
as flavoring agents and/or antibacterials.
Vanillin is a phenolic which gives flavor of
vanilla
Antioxidant Properties of Phenols
14-58Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers: Oxygen bonded to two carbon atoms
(functional group)
• General formula: R-O-R
• Examples:
• CH3-O-CH3, CH3-O-C2H5
• Water and ether have similar structure in that two
H of water are replaced by R groups in ethers
Ethers
14-59Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Name the two hydrocarbon groups attached to
oxygen atom of the ether and add the word
ether
• The hydrocarbon groups are listed in alphabetical
order
• When both R groups are same than di is used
with the name of R group
• Examples:
O
ethyl methyl ether
O
butyl ethyl ether
O
dimethyl ether
Earlier ―common‖ naming of ethers
14-60Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Naming Ethers
2-propoxybutane
2-methoxyphenol
ethoxycyclopropane
isopropyl propyl ether
methyl phenyl ether
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14-61Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers - Nomenclature
IUPAC • the longest carbon chain is the parent alkane
• name the -OR group as an alkoxy substituent
Common names:
• name the groups bonded to oxygen followed by the word ether
CH3
CH3
CH3OCCH3
O Et 2O
OH
OEt
Eth oxyethane
(Diethyl eth er)
2-Methoxy-2-methylpropane(methyl t ert -buty l ether, MTBE)
t rans-2-Ethoxycyclohexanol
14-62Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers - Nomenclature
Although cyclic ethers have IUPAC names, their
common names are more widely used
Ethylene
oxide
Tetrahydro-
furan, THF
Tetrahydro-
pyran
1,4-Dioxane
O O
O
OO
14-63Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers - Physical Properties
Ethers are polar molecules
• each C-O bond is polar covalent
• however, only weak attractive forces exist between
ether molecules
14-64Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers - Physical Properties
• boiling points are lower than those of alcohols
CH3CH2 OH
CH3OCH3
CH3CH2 CH2CH2CH2OH
HOCH2CH2CH2CH2 OH
CH3CH2 CH2CH2OCH3
CH3CH2 CH2CH2OH
CH3CH2 OCH2CH3
CH3OCH2CH2OCH3 ethylene glycoldimethyl ether
90 84 infinite
8 g/100 g3574diethyl ether
1-butanol 74 117 7.4 g/100 g
slight7188butyl methyl ether
infinite230901,4-butanediol
2.3 g/100 g138881-pentanol
7.8 g/100 g-2446dimethyl ether
infinite7846ethanol
Solubilityin Water
BoilingPoint
(°C)Molecular
WeightNameStructural Formula
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14-65Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers - Physical Properties
• ethers are hydrogen bond donors
14-66Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers - Physical Properties
• the effect of hydrogen bonding is illustrated by
comparing the boiling points of ethanol and dimethyl
ether
CH3CH2OH CH3OCH3
bp -24°C
Ethanol
bp 78°C
Dimethyl ether
14-67Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Reactions of Ethers
Ethers resemble hydrocarbons in their resistance
to chemical reaction
• they do not react with strong oxidizing agents such as
chromic acid, H2CrO4
• they are not affected by most acids and bases at
moderate temperatures
Because of their good solvent properties and
general inertness to chemical reaction, ethers are
excellent solvents in which to carry out organic
reactions
14-68Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Ethers have carbon chains (two alkyl groups )
therefore the constitutional isomerism
possibilities in ethers depend on:
1. The partitioning of carbon atoms between the two
alkyl groups, and
2. Isomerism possibilities for the individual alkyl
groups present.
• Isomerism is not possible for a C2 or a C3 ether
• C4 and C5 ethers exhibit constitutional isomers.
Isomerism in Ethers
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14-69Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Functional Group Isomerism
Ethers and alcohols with the same number of
carbon atoms and the same degree of
saturation have the same molecular formula.− For example: Dimethyl ether, and ethyl alcohol both have
the molecular formula C2H6O (constitutional isomers).
Functional group isomers are constitutional
isomers that contain different functional
groups.− C3 ether–alcohol functional group isomerism possibilities
are three (see below)
CH3 CH2 O CH3
Ethyl methyl ether
CH3 CH2 CH2 OH
CH3 CH OH
CH3
Propyl alcohol Isopropyl alcohol
14-70Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Chemical properties
Ethers are Flammable, e.g., Diethyl ether has
boiling point of 35oC and therefore a flash-
fire hazard.
Ethers react slowly with oxygen from the air to
form unstable hydroperoxides and
peroxides.
Unreactive towards acids, bases and oxidizing
agents (useful for organic reactions)
Like alkanes, ethers also undergo halogenation
reactions
14-71Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Cyclic ethers: Contain the ether functional groups as part of a ring
system (heterocyclic organic compounds).
Heterocyclic organic compound: a cyclic organic compound in
which one or more of the carbon atoms in the ring have been
replaced with atoms of other elements.
Important cyclic ethers:
• THF : Useful as a solvent in that it dissolves many organic
compounds and yet is miscible with water.
• Polyhydroxy derivatives of the five-membered (furan) and
six membered (pyran) carbohydrates are cyclic ether
systems
O O OTetrahydrofuran
(THF) Furan Pyran
Cyclic ethers
14-72Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
R-SH ---- Thiol
R-S-R ---- Thioether
Lower boiling point than corresponding
alcohols due to lack of hydrogen bonding
Strong disagreeable odor
Natural gas odor is due to added thiols
Thiols and Thiolethers
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14-73Chemistry 121, Winter 2011, LA Tech
Thiols are named in the same way as alcohols
in the IUPAC system, except that the ―–ol‖
becomes ―-thiol. ‖
The prefix thio- indicates the substitution of a
sulfur atom for an oxygen atom.
As in the case of diols and triols, the ―-e‖ at the
end of the alkane name is also retained for
thiols.
CH3 CH2 CH2 SH
Propanethiol
CH3 CH CH2 CH3
SH
2-Butanethiol
Naming Thiols
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Properties of Thiols
Have lower boiling points than alcohols (lack of hydrogen
bonding)
Have strong, disagreeable odor
The familiar odor of natural gas results from the addition of a low
concentration of methanethiol (CH3—SH) to the gas.
The scent of skunks is due to two thiols.
Oxidation of thiols: Lead to disulfide (S-S) bond formation
2 R-SH R-S-S-R + 2H
The above reaction is of biological importance
• Disulfide bonds formed from two —SH groups aid in protein
structure stabilization
More reactive than ethers due to weak C-S bond
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Thioethers (or sulfides: An organic compound in which
a sulfur atom is bonded to two carbon atoms by
single bonds.
General formula: R—S—R.
Like thiols, thioethers (or sulfides) have strong
characteristic odors.
Thiols are more reactive than their alcohol and ether
counterparts. A carbon–sulfur covalent bond is
weaker than a carbon–oxygen bond.
Dimethyl sulfide is a gas at room temperature and ethyl
methyl sulfide is a liquid.
Thiols and thioethers exbit functional group isomerism
in the same manner that alcohols and ethers.
Thioethers and Diulfides
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Naming thiols
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Thiols - Structure
The functional group of a thiol is an -SH (sulfhydryl)
group bonded to an sp3 hybridized carbon
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Thiols - Nomenclature
IUPAC names:
• the parent chain is the longest chain containing the
-SH group
• add -thiol to the name of the parent chain
Common names:
• name the alkyl group bonded to sulfur followed by the
word mercaptan
• alternatively, indicate the -SH by the prefix mercapto
Ethanethiol(Ethyl mercaptan)
2-Methyl-1-propanethiol(Isobutyl mercaptan)
2-Mercaptoethanol
SH SH HSOH
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Thiols - Physical Properties
Low-molecular-weight thiols have a STENCH
CH3CH=CHCH2 SH CH3CHCH2CH2SH
CH3
3-Methyl-1-butanethiol(Isobutyl mercaptan)
2-Butene-1-thiol
Present in the scent of skunks:
CH3 -C-SH
CH3
CH3
CH3 -CH-CH3
SHNatural gas
odorants:
2-Methyl-2-propanethiol(tert -Butyl mercaptan)
2-Propanethiol(Isopropyl mercaptan)
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Thiols - Physical Properties
The difference in electronegativity between S and H
is 2.5 - 2.1 = 0.4
Because of their low polarity, thiols
• show little association by hydrogen bonding
• have lower boiling points and are less soluble in water
than alcohols of comparable MW
117
78
65
1-butanol
ethanol
methanol
98
35
6
1-butanethiol
ethanethiol
methanethiol
AlcoholBoiling Point
(°C)ThiolBoiling Point
(°C)