Problem 15

Question

Classify each of the following as a carboxylic acid, ester, and/or alcohol. (a) \(\mathrm{HO}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{OH}\)

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer
The molecule \(\mathrm{HO}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{OH}\) contains two hydroxyl groups, which are characteristic of alcohols. Therefore, it is classified as an alcohol.
1Step 1: Analyze the molecule and identify functional groups
The given molecule is \(\mathrm{HO}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{OH}\). We can see that there are two hydroxyl groups, one at each end of the molecule. There are no carboxyl groups present in the molecule.
2Step 2: Classify the molecule
Since there are no carboxyl groups or ester functional groups present, we can immediately rule out the possibility of the molecule being a carboxylic acid or an ester. The molecule contains two hydroxyl groups which is characteristic of alcohols, so we can classify the molecule as an alcohol.
3Step 3: Final Answer
The molecule \(\mathrm{HO}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{CH}_{2}-\mathrm{OH}\) is classified as an alcohol.