Alcohols

Structure

Common Name

IUPAC name

Ethyl alcohol

Ethanol

Butyl alcohol

Butanol

propylene glycol

1,2-propanediol

2-pentenyl alcohol

2-penten-1-ol

Benzyl alcohol
(Phenyl methanol)
(not an aromatic alcohol)

Benzenol

phenol
(an aromatic alcohol)

phenol
hydroxybenzene

All alcohols, aromatic and alkyl, contain the hydroxyl (—OH) group.  Common names include the name alcohol and the alkyl group attached.  For example, a 4-carbon straight-chain alcohol is named butyl alcohol.  IUPAC names include the carbon number prefix attached to the -ol suffix (e.g., a 4-carbon alcohol begins Butan- followed by the -ol suffix to give Butanol preceeded by the lowest carbon number to position the —OH group, such as 1-butanol when the —OH is on the #1 carbon.).  Multiple —OH groups are named as diols, triols, etc.  Common names, if availabe simply name the alkyl or aryl group followed by alcohol.