What is a primary alcohol?

1 Answer
Mar 28, 2016

A primary alcohol is specified when an hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon that has (at least) 2 other hydrogens bound to it.

Explanation:

Methanol and ethyl alcohol, and 1-propanol, H_3C-CH_2CH_2OH meet this specification (sometimes the distinction is made between methanol and primary alcohols).

On the other hand, neopentyl alcohol, (H_3C)_3C-CH_2OH, is a primary alcohol by this definition. It is supremely unreactive given the shrubbery around the ipso-carbon, and also given that CH_2OH has no beta-hydrogens.