Question

Classify each of the following alcohols as either a primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohol.

a. 2,2,-dimethyl-1-propanol; b. 2-propanol;

c. 2-methyl-1-propanol;

d. 4-methyl-2-pentanol; e. 2-methyl-2-propanol

Answer 1

a)
2,2,-dimethyl-1-propanol
here 1 propanol means OH group is present on first C and no other substiuent is present on that C
so, it is primary alchol
b)
2-propanol
here 2 propanol means OH group is present on second C and there are total three C so 2 2 substiuent C is present to the second C
so, it is secondary alchol
c)
2-methyl-1-propanol
here 1 propanol means OH group is present on first C
and 2- methyl means methyl group is present on second C
and no other substiuents is present on first C
so, it is primary alchol
d)
4-methyl-2-pentanol
here 2 propanol means OH group is present on second C
and 4- methyl means methyl group is present on fourth C
and second C is attached with 2 C
so, it is secondary C
and hence secondary alchol
e)
2-methyl-2-propanol
here 2 propanol means OH group is present on second C
and 2-methyl means methyl group is also present on second C
and it is propanol so, there are 3 C in its straight chain
and hence second C is attached with 3 C
so, it is tertiary C
and tertiary alchol