What is the functional group of an alcohol and a phenol?

1 Answer
Sep 19, 2016

An hydroxyl group, #OH#.

Explanation:

The common group of ethyl alcohol, #H_3C-CH_2OH#, and phenol, #C_6H_5OH#, is clearly the #OH# functionality. This function confers a degree of water solubility on the organic molecule; especially so in the case of ethyl and methyl alcohols, which are infinitely miscible with agua.