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Classify the alcohol CH₃OH.

a) 1° (primary)
b) 2° (secondary)
c) 3° (tertiary)
d) None of the above

User Woozyking
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

CH₃OH is classified as a primary (1°) alcohol because the carbon with the hydroxyl group is attached to no other carbons.

Step-by-step explanation:

To classify the alcohol CH₃OH, we must determine the type of alcohol it is based on the number of carbon atoms attached to the carbon bearing the hydroxyl (OH) group. A primary (1°) alcohol has the OH group on a carbon atom that is attached to only one other carbon atom. In this case, CH₃OH, also known as methanol, has its OH group on the only carbon present in the molecule, making it a primary alcohol. This means the correct answer is a) 1° (primary) alcohol. When oxidized, a primary alcohol typically forms an aldehyde and with further oxidation, it can form a carboxylic acid.

User Robin Varghese
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