PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON

The National Center for Teacher Education

The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

Name: APRIL KYLE B. CATAGGATAN Rating: _________

Course: ___________________________________ Date: _________

Directions. Carefully read and answer all items in the problem sets for each topic. Answer all
questions completely and concisely, showing clear understanding of the concepts discussed.
Use proper chemical terms, correct structures, and logical explanations where applicable.
Ensure that your answers are your own work and are properly organized according to the
given topics before submission via the LMS.

1. Bonding Characteristics of Oxygen Atoms in Organic Compounds

1. Explain why oxygen commonly forms two covalent bonds in organic compounds.
Relate your answer to its electron configuration and valence electrons.

 The oxygen has an atomic number of 8. Its electron configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p4, which
provides six valence electron. According to the octet rule, the atoms can gain, share, or
lose electrons to achieve a stable configuration of 8 valence electrons. However, the
oxygen hase only 6 valence eletrons. What does it mean? Its configuration isn’t stable
hence the oxygen fors two covalent bonds because it needs two additional electrons

2. Compare the polarity of the C–O bond and the O–H bond. Which is more polar and
why?

The the computed electronegativity values of the following are:

 Oxygen (O): ~3.5

 Hydrogen (H): ~2.1
 Carbon (C): ~2.5

 If we compare the polarity of the C–O bond and the O–H bond, the C-O bond has
electronegativity difference of 1.0, hence it is moderately polar bond. Meaning the oxygen in
this bond pulls the electron density toward itself giving the oxygen a partial negative charge and
partial positive charge for the carbon. On the other hand, the O-H bond has electronegativyty
diference of 1.4, which means it is more polar thaan the C-O bond. There will be stronger partial
charges on both oxygen and hydrogen which allows a hydrogen bonding. And this bonding a the
key property of alcohols, water and etc.

3. Draw Lewis structures of ethanol and dimethyl ether. Identify the bonding and non-
bonding electron pairs on the oxygen atom.

1|Page
 PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON
The National Center for Teacher Education
The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

H H H H

H C C O H H C O C H

H H H H

ETHANOL DIMETHYL ETHER

 For both compounds, the oxygen uses 2 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs. However, the
ethanol uses one C-O and one O-H as the bonding pairs and the remaining 4 valence
electrons of the oxygen stays as two lone pairs, which is the Non-Bonding pairs. On the
other hand, the dimethyl ether has two C-O bonding pairs and again, the remaining 4
valence electrons are the two lone pairs (Non-bonding pairs).

4. Predict how the presence of oxygen affects the boiling point of organic compounds
compared to hydrocarbons of similar molar mass. Justify your answer.

 The presence of oxygen raises the boiling point of the organic compounds compared to
hydrocarbons that has similar molar mass. Why? Because the oxygen is highly
electronegative, creating polar bonds and this polarity increases the dipole-dipole
interactions between the molecules which raises the the boiling points. Comparing to the
hydrocarbons which are non-polar, it relies only on weak London dipersion forces. This
forces are weaker than hydrogen bonding or dipole-dipole interactions, hence the
hydrocarbons boil at lower temperatures. A good example for this is the Pentane
(C5H12) it’s boiling point is ~36 °C, meanwhile the Butanol (C4H9OH) has ~118
°Cboiling point. Both has molar mass of 72 g/mol. With this example, we can notice how
the oxygen containing compounds has higher boiling points than hydrocarbons of similar
molaar mass.

2. Structural Characteristics of Alcohols

1. Identify the functional group that characterizes alcohols and explain its role in
determining the properties of alcohols.

 E functional group that characterizes alcohols is the Hydroxyl (-OH) group that is
attached to a saturated carbon atom. The O-H bond is polar because the oxygen is highly
electronegative. This allows the alcohol molecules to form hydrogen bonds with each
other and with water molecules, leading to a higher boiling points. This group also
allows or undergo substitution, oxidation reactions and elimination. For small-chain
alcohols, they are miscible with water due to its strong hydrogen bonding and larger
alcohols means becoming less soluble as the nonpolar hydrocarbon chain dominates.

2|Page
 PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON
The National Center for Teacher Education
The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

2. Given the structural formulas of methanol, ethanol, and propanol, describe how the
length of the carbon chain influences their physical properties.

 The length of the carbon chain influences their physical properties by increasing its
boiling point because the longer the chains, the stronger intermolecular forces. Meaning
it also directly affect it volatility because stronger intermolecular forces can make then
easily evaporated. Aside from that, its solubility in water also decreases since the
nonpolar hydrocarbon becomes larger, which reduces the effect of the polar hydroxyl
group. In short, longer carbon chains make alcohols less soluble and less volatile, but
raise their boiling points higher.

3. Distinguish between the alkyl group and the hydroxyl group in alcohols in terms of
polarity and reactivity.

 The alkyl group is nonpolar and less reactive because it mainly composed of carbon and
hydrogen atoms and it inferences the physical properties like solubility and boiling point
by increasing its hydrophobic character. Meanwhile, the hydroxyl group is strongly polar
due to the electronegativity of oxygen. Because of this, it is highly reactive and is
responsible for hydrogen bonding, higher boiling points, solubility in water, and
chemical reactions such as oxidation and substitution.

4. Explain why alcohols are considered derivatives of water from a structural standpoint.

 Alcohols are derivatives of water from a structural standpoint because the water has the
formula H-O-H and in alcohols, one hydrogen atom of water is replaced by an alkyl
group givign the general formula R-O-H. thus the alcohols can be viewed as “modified
water molecules” where one hydrogen is replaced by a carbon containing group.
3. Nomenclature for Alcohols

1. Provide the IUPAC names of the following alcohols:

a) CH₃CH₂OH - Ethanol
b) CH₃CH(OH)CH₃ - propan-2-ol
2. Name an alcohol with the molecular formula C₄H₁₀O and explain the steps used in
naming it.

 An alcohol with the molecular formula C₄H₁₀O can be named as buan-1-ol. In naming
this first we have to identify the longest carbon chain containing the -OH group. Here,
the chain has 4 carbons hence the parent name is butane. After that, replace the “-e”
ending with “-ol” to indicate the hydroxyl group. So from butane, it became butanol.
Lastly, number the chain to give the -OH group the lowest possible position and the -OH
in the molecular formula is on carbon 1. hence, the C₄H₁₀O can be named as butan-1-ol.

3. Explain the rule for numbering the carbon chain in alcohol nomenclature and why it is
important.

3|Page
 PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON
The National Center for Teacher Education
The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

 When naming the alcohols, the carbon chain must be numbered so that the hydroxyl
group is given the lowest possible position number. Always follow this to ensure
consistency and this also emphasizes the priority of the hydroxyl group in the
nomenclature, since it defines the compound as alcohol.

4. Write the structural formula of an alcohol named 2-methyl-1-propanol.

H3C
OH

CH3

4. Isomerism for Alcohols

1. Define structural isomerism and explain how it applies to alcohols.

 The structural isomerism means compounds have the same molecular formula but
different arrangements of atoms. For example in alcohol, the position of the -OH can be
butan-1-ol or butan-2-ol. This shows that the hydroxyl group can be attached to different
carbons or t he carbon chain can be arranged differently even thoughthe molecular
formula remains the same.

2. Draw and name two structural isomers of butanol (C₄H₉OH).

CH3–CH2–CH2–CH2–OH (butan-1-ol)

CH3–CH(OH)–CH2–CH3 (butan-2-ol)

3. Explain how position isomerism occurs in alcohols using propanol as an example.

 The position isomerism occurs when the same molecular formula has the same carbon
skeleton, but the functional group (-OH) is attached to different carbon atoms. For
exmple the propanol . CH3–CH2–CH2–OH this structure can be named as Propan-1-ol.
As you can see, the -OH group is in carbon one. But if we position it to the carbon two,
CH3–CH(OH)–CH3 it can be named as Propan-2-ol. Both have the same formula but
because of its different position, it changes their physical and chemical properties.

4. Why do isomers have different physical properties despite having the same molecular
formula?

 Isomers have different physical properties despite having the same molecular formula
because their atoms are arranged differently. For example, the different arrangements
change molecular shape which leads to difference in volatility, density and even in
reactivity.

4|Page
 PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON
The National Center for Teacher Education
The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

5. Important Commonly Encountered Alcohols

1. Identify three commonly used alcohols in everyday life and state one use for each.

 Ethanol can be used as a disinfectant and solven

 Methanol is used as an idustrial solvent and fuel
 Isopropanol is commonly used as a rubbing alcohol for cleaning and sanitizing

2. Compare ethanol and methanol in terms of toxicity and applications.

 Ethanol is safe in small amounts and it is widely used in beverages ans disinfectant.
Meanwhile the methanol on the other hand, it is highly toxic even in small doses, it can
cause blindness or worst, death. It is mainly used in industry and fuel .

3. Explain why isopropyl alcohol is commonly used as a disinfectant.

 Isoprophyl is widely used as a disinfectant because it kills microbes by disrupting the

proteins and membranes. It works quickly, and evaporates cleanly.

4. Describe the societal and industrial importance of ethanol in the Philippine context.

 The usage of ethanol doesn’t stop in alcoholic drink because it is also present in
perfumes, sanitizer, disinfectant and household cleaners making it widely used and
became a part of Filipinos everyday life especially when the pandemic became a threat
for everyone, this ethanol became a life-saving grace for everyone. Aside from that, this
ethanol is blended with gasoline which reduces the oil imports, supports the sugarcane
and cassava farmers, and cutting emissions.

6. Physical Properties of Alcohols

1. Explain why alcohols generally have higher boiling points than alkanes of similar
molecular mass.

 Alcohols have generally have higher boiling points than alkenes of similar molecular
mass because the hydrogen bonding is stronger than the weak forces in alkanes.

2. Describe how hydrogen bonding affects the solubility of alcohols in water.

 The hydrogen bonding increases the solubility of alcohols in water but as the carbon
chain gets longer, the nonpolar part dominates hence, the solubility decreases.

3. Predict the trend in solubility of methanol, ethanol, and pentanol in water and justify
your answer.

5|Page
 PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON
The National Center for Teacher Education
The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

 Methanol is highly soluble because its short chain allows strong hydrogen bonding with
water
 Ethanol is still very soluble bit it is slightly less than the methanol because of its longer
nonpolar chain
 Pentanol is much less souble than the other two because the larger nonpolar hydrocarbon
chain outweighs the effect of the -OH group.

4. Explain why higher alcohols tend to have stronger odors and lower solubility in water.

 Higher alcohols ten to have stronger odors and lower solubility in water because the
larger nonpolar hydrocarbon chain increases its volatility and gives the more noticeable
and pungent smells compared to lower alcohols. At the same time, as the chain lengths
grows the effect of the -OH group decreases making them less able to dissolve.
7. Preparation of Alcohols

1. Describe the hydration of alkenes as a method for preparing alcohols.

 The hydration of alkenes meanse adding water across the double bond. Hence it is a
practical way to convert alkenes into alcohols by adding water across the double blond
with an acid catalyst making it widely used in industry because it produces alcohols
efficiently and in large quantities.

2. Explain how fermentation produces ethanol and identify the reactants involved.

 Fermentation is a biological method where microorganisms convert sugars into ethanol

and carbon dioxide under the anaerobic conditions. Hence the fermentation produces
ethanol by breaking down sugars with yeast, yielding ethanol and carbon dioxide as
products.

3. Compare laboratory preparation and industrial preparation of alcohols.

 The laboratory prepartion is small scale and educational meanwhile the industrial
preparation is large-scale and practical, supplying alcohols for everyday and economic
use.

4. Identify one environmental concern related to the large-scale production of alcohols.

 One major environmental concern related to the large-scale production of alcohols is the
high demand of water and fertilizers, which contributes to the soil degration and water
pollution.
8. Classification of Alcohols

1. Define primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols based on structure.

6|Page
 PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON
The National Center for Teacher Education
The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

 Primary alcohols are the carbon atom attached to the -OH group and it is only bonded to
only one other carbon
 Secondary alcohol is the carbon atom attached to the -OH group but it is bonded to two
other carbons
 Tertiary on the other hand is its carbon atom is attached to the -OH group and is bonded
to 3 other carbons.

2. Classify the following as primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohol:

a) CH₃CH₂OH - primary alcohol
b) CH₃CH(OH)CH₃ - secondary alcohol
3. Explain how classification affects the chemical reactivity of alcohols.

 The classification affects the chemical reactivity of alcohols because the primary alcohol
is easily oxidized and the secondary is a moderate reactivity, and the tertiary is resistant
to oxidation but reactive in other ways.

4. Provide one real-life example for each type of alcohol.

 Primary alcohol: an example is the ethanol which is found in alcoholic beverages and
used as fuels
 Secondary alcohol: the isopropanol is common in rubbing alcohol and disinfectants
 Tertiary alcohol: an example is tert-butanol which is used as a solvent and in gasoline
additives.

9. Chemical Reactions of Alcohols

1. Describe the oxidation reaction of primary alcohols and identify the possible products.

 Primary alcohols can be oxidized first into aldehydes and then further into carboxylic
acids. Under the mild oxidation conditions, the hydroxyl group of the primary alcohol is
converted into an aldehyde. But if it used stronger oxidizing agents or the reaction is
allowed to continue, the aldehyde is further oxidized into a carboxylic acid. Hence, the
possible products of primary alcohol oxidation are aldehydes and carboxylic acids as its
final products

2. Explain how alcohols react with acids to form esters.

 The alcohols react with carboxylic acids in the presencce of an acid catalyst because the -
OH group of the acid and the -H of the alcohol combine to form water, while the
remaining parts join to form an ester.

3. Compare the dehydration of alcohols to elimination reactions in organic chemistry.

 The dehydration of alcohols is a specific type of elimination reaction where water is

being removed from the alchol and it is usually in the presence of an acid catalyst. This
produces an alkene. And the elimination reaction is a small molecule to form a double

7|Page
 PHILIPPINE NORMAL UNIVERSITY NORTH LUZON
The National Center for Teacher Education
The Indigenous Peoples Education Hub
Alicia, Isabela

bond. Hence the dehydration of alcohols is simply an example of elimination with water
leaving the group.

4. Why are tertiary alcohols resistant to oxidation under mild conditions?

 Tertiary are resistant to oxidation under mild condition because the carbon bearing the -
OH group has no hydrogan atom attached and the oxidation requires breaking a C-H
bond adjacent to the hydroxyl group, which is not possible in the tertiary alcohol.
10. Polymeric Alcohols

1. Define polymeric alcohols and explain how they differ from simple alcohols.

 The polymerin alcohols are alcohol that contain multiple hydroxyl groups within a large,
chain-like structure. They are often formed when the simple alcohol units are linked
together, creating long molecules with repeating -OH group. Meanwhile the simple
alcohols contain only one hydroxyl group attached to a single carbon chain.

2. Identify one polymeric alcohol and describe its common applications.

 The polyvinyl alcohol or also known as PVA is a well-known polymeric alcohol and it is
widely used because of its water solubility, and biodegradability. Its common usage
includes eco-friendly-packaging, adhesives, paper coatings and construction materials.

3. Explain the role of hydroxyl groups in determining the properties of polymeric alcohols.

 The hydroxyl groups are responsible for many of the unique properties of polimeric
alcohols . they form strong hydrogen bonds which increases its water solubility. This
groups also provides sites for chemical reactivity, which allows the polymeric alcohols to
be modified for specialized uses.

4. Discuss one environmental or industrial advantage of using polymeric alcohols.

 One major advantage od polymeric alcohols is their biodegradability nad water

solubility, which makes them useful as eco-friendly packaging materials.

8|Page