R2CHOH
R2CHOH denotes a secondary alcohol in which the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group is attached to two identical substituents, R, and one hydrogen. The general formula thus describes homo-substituted secondary alcohols. When R equals a methyl group, the compound is isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol), a common solvent and disinfectant. The broader class with two potentially different substituents is sometimes written as R1R2CHOH; in that case, the molecule may be chiral if R1 and R2 are different.
Structure and stereochemistry: In R2CHOH with identical substituents, the carbon center is not a stereocenter. If
Preparation and occurrence: Most secondary alcohols can be prepared by reducing the corresponding ketone (R2C=O) with
Physical properties: Secondary alcohols typically have higher boiling points than alkanes of similar molecular weight due
Reactions: Common transformations include oxidation to ketones (R2C=O), dehydration under acid to yield alkenes, and substitution
Applications: Isopropanol is a widely used solvent, disinfectant, and cleaning agent. More broadly, R2CHOH compounds serve