Primary alcohol

Alcohol in which the hydroxy group is bonded to a primary carbon atom

A primary alcohol is an alcohol in which the hydroxy group is bonded to a primary carbon atom. It can also be defined as a molecule containing a “–CH₂OH” group.^[1] In contrast, a secondary alcohol has a formula “–CHROH” and a tertiary alcohol has a formula “–CR₂OH”, where “R” indicates a carbon-containing group.

Examples of primary alcohols include ethanol and 1-butanol.

Methanol is also generally regarded as a primary alcohol,^[2]^[3] including by the 1911 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica.^[4]

References

^ "Definition: primary alcohol from Online Medical Dictionary". Retrieved 2007-11-22. ^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Introducing Alcohols". Jim Clark (2015). Retrieved 2023-09-29.
^ Albert S. Tarendash (2001). Let's review: chemistry, the physical setting. Boston, Mass: Barron's. p. 161. ISBN 0-7641-1664-9.
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Alcohols" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 527.

Alcohols

By consumption

Alcohols found in alcoholic drinks	1-Propanol 2-Methyl-1-butanol Ethanol Isoamyl alcohol Isobutanol Phenethyl alcohol tert-Amyl alcohol tert-Butyl alcohol Tryptophol
Medical alcohol	Ethchlorvynol Methylpentynol Methanol poisoning Ethanol
Toxic alcohols	Isopropyl alcohol Methanol

Primary
alcohols (1°)

Methanol	4-Methylcyclohexanemethanol Aminomethanol Cyclohexylmethanol Methoxymethanol Methylazoxymethanol Trifluoromethanol
Ethanol	1-Aminoethanol 2,2,2-Trichloroethanol 2,2,2-Trifluoroethanol 2-(2-Ethoxyethoxy)ethanol 2-(2-Methoxyethoxy)ethanol 2-(2-Methoxyethoxy)ethanol 2-Butoxyethanol 2-Chloroethanol 2-Ethoxyethanol 2-Fluoroethanol 2-Mercaptoethanol 2-Methoxyethanol Aminoethylethanolamine Diethylethanolamine Dimethylethanolamine Ethanol Ethanolamine N,N-Diisopropylaminoethanol N-Methylethanolamine Phenoxyethanol Tribromoethanol
Butanol	2-Methyl-1-butanol Isobutanol n-Butanol
Straight-chain saturated C₁ — C₉	Methanol Ethanol 1-Propanol 1-Butanol 1-Pentanol 1-Hexanol 1-Heptanol 1-Octanol (capryl) 1-Nonanol (pelargonic)
Straight-chain saturated C₁₀ — C₁₉	1-Decanol (capric) 1-Undecanol (hendecyl) 1-Dodecanol (lauryl) 1-Tridecanol 1-Tetradecanol (myristyl) 1-Pentadecanol 1-Hexadecanol (cetyl / palmityl) 1-Heptadecanol 1-Octadecanol (stearyl) 1-Nonadecanol
Straight-chain saturated C₂₀ — C₂₉	1-Icosanol (arachidyl) 1-Heneicosanol 1-Docosanol (behenyl) 1-Tricosanol 1-Tetracosanol (lignoceryl) 1-Pentacosanol 1-Hexacosanol (ceryl) 1-Heptacosanol 1-Octacosanol (cluytyl / montanyl) 1-Nonacosanol
Straight-chain saturated C₃₀ — C₃₉	1-Triacontanol (melissyl / myricyl) 1-Hentriacontanol 1-Dotriacontanol (lacceryl) 1-Tritriacontanol 1-Tetratriacontanol (geddyl) 1-Pentatriacontanol 1-Hexatriacontanol 1-Heptatriacontanol 1-Octatriacontanol 1-Nonatriacontanol
Straight-chain saturated C₄₀ — C₄₉	1-Tetracontanol 1-Hentetracontanol 1-Dotetracontanol 1-Tritetracontanol 1-Tetratetracontanol 1-Pentatetracontanol 1-Hexatetracontanol 1-Heptatetracontanol 1-Octatetracontanol 1-Nonatetracontanol

Secondary
alcohols (2°)

2-Deoxyerythritol

Propylene glycol methyl ether

Tertiary
alcohols (3°)

2-Methyl-2-pentanol
2-Methylheptan-2-ol
2-Methylhexan-2-ol
3-Methyl-3-pentanol
3-Methyloctan-3-ol
Diacetone alcohol
Ethchlorvynol
Methylpentynol
Nonafluoro-tert-butyl alcohol
tert-Amyl alcohol
tert-Butyl alcohol
Triphenylethanol
Triphenylmethanol

Hydric alcohols

Monohydric alcohols	Methanol (C₁) Ethanol (C₂) Isopropanol (C₃) 1-Butanol (C₄) 1-Pentanol (C₅) Cetyl alcohol (C₁₆)
Dihydric alcohols	Ethylene glycol Propylene glycol
Trihydric alcohols	Glycerol
Polyhydric alcohols (sugar alcohols)	Pentaerythritol Ethylene glycol (C₂) Glycerol, Propylene glycol (C₃) Erythritol, Threitol (C₄) Xylitol (C₅) Mannitol, Sorbitol (C₆) Volemitol (C₇)

Amyl alcohols

Aromatic alcohols

Saturated
fatty alcohols

Branched and
unsaturated
fatty alcohols

3-Methyl-3-pentanol
Erucyl alcohol
Linolenyl alcohol
Linoleyl alcohol
Oleyl alcohol
Palmitoleyl alcohol
tert-Amyl alcohol
tert-Butyl alcohol

Sugar alcohols

C₁ — C₇	Methylene glycol (C₁) Ethylene glycol (C₂) Glycerol (C₃) Erythritol (C₄) Threitol (C₄) Arabitol (C₅) Ribitol (C₅) Xylitol (C₅) Mannitol (C₆) Sorbitol (C₆) Galactitol (C₆) Iditol (C₆) Volemitol (C₇)
Deoxy sugar alcohols	Fucitol
Cyclic sugar alcohols	Inositol
Glycylglycitols	Maltitol Lactitol Isomalt Maltotriitol Maltotetraitol Polyglycitol

Terpene alcohols

Monoterpene alcohols	Borneol Citronellol Geraniol Linalool Menthol Nerol Rhodinol Terpineol
Sesquiterpene alcohols	Bisabolol Farnesol Nerolidol Patchoulol
Diterpene alcohols	Phytol