Hydroxyl:Hydroxyl group is composed of H and O atoms.Īlcohol: Alcohols are composed of C, H and O atoms. Hydroxyl: Hydroxyl group is a functional group.Īlcohol: Alcohol is an organic compound. OH radical.Īlcohol: Alcohol is an organic compound composed of a hydroxyl group attached to an alkyl group. Hydroxyl:Hydroxyl is the IUPAC name used to name. Alcohols have higher boiling points than the corresponding alkanes due to the presence of these hydrogen bonds.ĭifference Between Hydroxyl and Alcohol Definition.Alcohols are able to form hydrogen bonds.Alcohols are polar compounds due to the presence of hydroxyl group.Given below are some examples that describe the properties of alcohols that arise due to the presence of hydroxyl group. Therefore, the hydroxyl group determines the chemical and physical properties of alcohols. These hydroxyl group act as the functional group of alcohols. Relationship Between Hydroxyl and AlcoholĪlcohols are composed of hydroxyl groups. Alcohols having more than one hydroxyl group are named as polyols. Apart from that, alcohols are included in some medicines. Some examples for alcohols are methanol, ethanol, and butanol.Īlcohols are found in beverages as either the major component or the minor component. The presence of these hydrogen bonds causes the boiling point of alcohols to be increased than the corresponding alkane. Alcohols are also capable of forming hydrogen bonds. Therefore, they can be dissolved in polar solvents. This hydroxyl radical has an unpaired electron that causes the high reactivity of the radical.Īlcohols are polar compounds due to the presence of the hydroxyl group. Hydroxyl radical is the neutral form of the hydroxide ion. The hydroxyl radical is highly reactive and can undergo chemical reactions quickly. Sometimes, the presence of a hydroxyl group indicates the acidity of a molecule other times it indicates the basicity of a molecule. Therefore, hydroxyl group is composed of one hydrogen and one oxygen atom. Hydroxyl group is a functional group that can be found in both organic and inorganic compounds. But in common, we call every –OH group a hydroxyl group. Key Terms: Alcohol, Hydroxyl, Hydroxyl Group, Hydroxyl RadicalĪccording to the IUPAC nomenclature, the term hydroxyl is used to name. What is the Difference Between Hydroxyl and Alcohol What is the Relationship Between Hydroxyl and AlcoholĤ. The main difference between hydroxyl and alcohol is that a hydroxyl is a functional group whereas alcohol is an organic compound. However, we still use this term for both hydroxyl group and hydroxyl radical. But according to the IUPAC nomenclature (the method of naming compounds introduced by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry – IUPAC), the term hydroxyl stands for the hydroxyl radical. The acidity or basicity of the molecule can vary depending on the location of the hydroxyl group in the molecule. Hydroxyl group is a functional group present in organic and inorganic compounds such as alcohols. A functional group is a group of atoms that decide the properties and reactions of a particular molecule. The characteristic feature of alcohols is the presence of a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to an alkyl group.

Alcohol is such a molecule made out of C, H and O atoms. There can be other atoms such as O and N bonded to these molecules. Organic compounds are molecules that are essentially composed of C and H atoms.

Alcohol functional group