What is the naming convention for alcohols in IUPAC nomenclature?

The naming convention for alcohols in IUPAC nomenclature states that alcohols are suffixed with “-ol.” This indicates the presence of a hydroxyl group (-OH) within the molecular structure. Alcohols are characterized by having one or more hydroxyl groups, and their names reflect this functional group.

For example, the simplest alcohol, ethanol, derives its name from ethane, to which the -ol ending is added to indicate that it is an alcohol. The structure of the molecule confirms the presence of the hydroxyl group, and the IUPAC name clearly denotes the functional group’s presence in the compound.

Other naming conventions have been established for different functional groups, which is why certain terms like -amine, which is used for amines, or -ate, typically seen in carboxylic acids or esters, are not applicable to alcohols. Furthermore, while some compounds may be referred to with the prefix hydroxy- to denote the presence of a hydroxyl group when that group is not the primary functional group, this is not the primary naming convention for alcohols when they are the main focus.