Alkanols

[soccerboi]

How do you differentiate between primary, secondary and tertiary alkanols?

From what i know:
primary is when OH is bonded to 1 Carbon, secondary is when OH is bonded to a carbon with 2 Carbons attached, tertiary is when OH is bonded to a carbon with 3 Carbons attatched.

Is this correct?
Thanks

[DisaFear]

Indeed

Source: http://www.ausetute.com.au/alkanols.html

[charmanderp]

In primary alcohols  the -OH group is always bonded to the first carbon in the longest chain containing a major functional group (in this case a hydroxy). They oxidise to an unstable intermediary product called an aldehyde, which then oxidises further to a carboyxlic acid.

Secondary alcohols contain the -OH group on a carbon somewhere in the middle of the longest chain containing a hydroxy molecule. This carbon is connected also to a hydrogen atom, as well as two carbon atoms. They can oxidise only to molecules called ketones.

Tertiary alcohols are similar to secondary alcohols in that the -OH group is situated on a carbon somewhere in the middle of the longest chain containing a hydroxy molecule. However this carbon is connected also to three carbon atoms, and therefore the -OH cannot be oxidised at all.

[Hellrocks]

Why are you referring to oxidation? When someone has already answered a question, it is not necessary to repeat then further elaborate on information that is not relevant for VCE.
No, aldehydes do not have to be intermediates, they are stable. It is just that STRONG oxidants causes the primary alcohols to be converted to an carboxylic acid. A mild oxidant can convert primary alcohols to aldehydes.

[charmanderp]

I'm pretty sure that most aldehydes are unstable. And if you don't actually care about that stuff than whatever, but it's pretty basic and it definitely helps recall the basics if you can explain things which are slightly more advanced. One of the key differences between primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols is their potential to oxidise, so I figure it's pretty relevant, if not interesting. Regardless it's been featured in past
VCAA exam questions, so I reckon it's worth knowing, don't you?

I will look up that thing about mild oxidants though, I didn't actually know that.

[thushan]

It should be known that only primary alkanols are oxidised to carboxylic acids (via an aldehyde intermediate - but weak oxidants can stop at the aldehyde - don't need to know that though). It is not necessary to know about the oxidation properties of a secondary alcohol, or tertiary. FYI though, you can oxidise a tertiary alcohol - into CO2 and H2O.