Question #915cb

1 Answer
Oct 10, 2016

In aqueous solution, aliphatic alcohols are neither basic nor acidic.

Explanation:

The lower alcohols, methyl, ethyl, and propyl have some solubility in water. Methanol, and ethanol are infinitely miscible with water. However, even though they are in effect half a water molecule they do not undergo any protonolysis reaction.

With alkali metals, the following reaction occurs:

#ROH + Na rarr RO^(-)""^+Na + 1/2H_2uarr#

#R=CH_3, H_3C-CH_2#