Quick Menu

allyl alcohol

MOLECULE: Allyl Alcohol (Prop-2-en-1-ol)
[ Placeholder: Insert Allyl Alcohol Structure ]

1. Skeleton & Packing

  • Molecular Formula: C3H6O
  • Degree of Unsaturation (DU): 1 (Attributed to one alkene pi bond)
  • Key Shapes/Rings/Chirality: Acyclic, terminal planar alkene. Achiral (0 stereocenters).

2. The Physical Profile

  • Strongest IMF: Hydrogen Bonding (Donor and Acceptor)
  • Water Soluble? (Yes/No): Yes (3 Carbons to 1 Alcohol group is well within the highly soluble ≤4:1 scope)
  • High or Low BP/MP? High BP (97°C; exceptionally high for a tiny 3-carbon mass due to strong H-bond networks)

3. Electronic Map

  • Inductive pull matches Oxygen (δ−) rendering C1 electron-poor (δ+). Alkene π-bond represents high electron density.
  • Identify resonance (Yes/No): No (for neutral molecule) (But loss of −OH generates an allylic cation with massive resonance stabilization)
  • Most acidic proton belongs to the hydroxyl group (−OH, pKa ≈ 15.5).

4. Reactive Portfolio

  • Circle Nucleophilic sites: The alkene π-bond (soft Nu) and Oxygen lone pairs.
  • Box Electrophilic sites: C1 carbon (requires activation because −OH is a poor leaving group).
  • Steric Hindrance? (Low/Med/High): Low (C1 is a primary 1° allylic carbon, providing ideal accessibility for clean SN2 attacks once protonated)
5. Predicted Behavior
"A bifunctional molecule capable of acting as a nucleophile via its alkene pi-bond, or as a highly accessible primary electrophile at C1 once the hydroxyl group is activated by acid."