Reactions of Polyhydroxy Alcohols and Introduction to Phenols
This page covers the reactions of polyhydroxy alcohols and introduces the chemistry of phenols, providing a comprehensive overview of reakcje alkoholi polihydroksylowych and the basics of phenol synthesis and reactivity.
The page discusses the following key topics:
- Reactions of glycerol with active metals
- Hydrolysis of glycerolates
- Synthesis of phenols
- Basic reactions of phenols
Example: The reaction of glycerol with sodium metal produces sodium glycerolate and hydrogen gas: 2CH₂OH-CHOH-CH₂OH + 6Na → 2CH₂ONa-CHONa-CH₂ONa + 3H₂
The page emphasizes the ability of polyhydroxy alcohols to form alkoxides with multiple metal atoms, which is a characteristic property of these compounds.
Highlight: The hydrolysis of sodium glycerolate regenerates glycerol and produces sodium hydroxide, demonstrating the reversibility of the alkoxide formation reaction.
The synthesis of phenols is introduced, focusing on the hydrolysis of aryl halides under basic conditions. The page provides an example of synthesizing phenol from chlorobenzene using sodium hydroxide.
Vocabulary: Phenols are aromatic compounds with a hydroxyl group directly attached to the benzene ring.
The page concludes with an introduction to the basic reactions of phenols, including their reaction with sodium hydroxide to form phenolates and their reaction with active metals.
Understanding these reactions is essential for students studying organic chemistry, as phenols and polyhydroxy alcohols have numerous applications in industry and play important roles in biological systems.