3 x 1 hour lessons

This module explores the chemistry of alcohols, focusing on their structure, properties, and key reactions. You’ll learn how to classify alcohols as primary, secondary, or tertiary, and understand trends in boiling points and solubility.

You’ll study the combustion of alcohols, their oxidation to aldehydes, ketones or carboxylic acids (depending on the type), and how to identify oxidation products using suitable reagents. The module also covers dehydration of alcohols to form alkenes and substitution reactions to form haloalkanes.

By the end of this module, you’ll be able to:

• Classify alcohols and describe their physical properties

• Write balanced equations for combustion and oxidation of alcohols

• Outline mechanisms for key reactions of alcohols

• Understand how dehydration and substitution reactions occur

• Identify reaction pathways involving alcohols in synthesis problems

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