Primary alcohol

A primary alcohol is an alcohol in which the hydroxy group is bonded to a primary carbon atom. It can also be defined as a molecule containing a “–CH₂OH” group.^[1] In contrast, a secondary alcohol has a formula “–CHROH” and a tertiary alcohol has a formula “–CR₂OH”, where “R” indicates a carbon-containing group.

Ethanol

Butanol

Examples of primary alcohols include ethanol, 1-propanol, and 1-butanol.

Methanol is also generally regarded as a primary alcohol,^[2][3] including by the 1911 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica.^[4]

See also

• Alcohol (especially Nomenclature section for discussion on Secondary and Tertiary alcohols.)
• Oxidation of primary alcohols to carboxylic acids