What Is a Monohydroxy Alcohol?

Primary Monohydroxy Alcohol. An alcohol in which the hydroxyl (-OH) group is attached to a terminal carbon (a carbon that is only attached to one other carbon.) Ex: Methanol & Ethanol.

Is methanol an alcohol?

Methanol is a type of alcohol made primarily from natural gas. It's a base material in acetic acid and formaldehyde, and in recent years it is also increasingly being used in ethylene and propylene.

How do you tell if a compound is an alcohol?

One way of classifying alcohols is based on which carbon atom is bonded to the hydroxyl group. If this carbon is primary (1°, bonded to only one other carbon atom), the compound is a primary alcohol. A secondary alcohol has the hydroxyl group on a secondary (2°) carbon atom, which is bonded to two other carbon atoms.