Alkoholis

Alkoholis, known in English as alcohols, is a broad class of organic compounds characterized by one or more hydroxyl groups attached to carbon atoms. In common usage, the term alcohol most often refers to ethanol, the type found in alcoholic beverages, but the term encompasses a wide range of compounds, including methanol, propanol, and phenols. Alcohols are classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary based on the carbon atom bearing the hydroxyl group.

The essential property of alcohols is their ability to form hydrogen bonds, which gives them relatively high boiling points and miscibility with water that typically decreases with increasing carbon content. They are versatile solvents and are used in the production of polymers, fuels, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Ethanol is produced mainly by the fermentation of sugars by yeast; other industrial alcohols are typically manufactured by chemical synthesis from petrochemical feedstocks, such as the hydration of alkenes or the carbonylation routes.

In beverages, ethanol is the principal psychoactive component. Its consumption can impair judgment and coordination and carries health risks at high doses or with long-term use. Methanol and higher alcohols are more toxic and can cause serious injury or death.

The body metabolizes ethanol primarily through alcoholic dehydrogenase to acetaldehyde and then to acetate, which is further processed or excreted.

Regulation of alcohols varies by country, with safety standards for products, labeling, and allowable concentrations guiding industrial and consumer uses.