Functional sign of alcohols.

A functional group is characteristic of alcohols – OH. Let us consider the example of saturated monohydric alcohols – C2H5OH, diatomic – C2H4 (OH) 2, polyatomic – C3H5 (OH) 3 and aromatic – C6H5OH. The general property of alcohols is participation in the substitution reaction with the metal – Na.
Let’s compose the reaction equations:
2C2H5OH + 2Na = 2C2H5ONa + H2 – substitution reaction;
HO – CH2 – CH2 – OH + 2Na = NaO – CH2 – CH2 – ONa + H2;
2CH2OH – CHOH – CH2 – OH + 2Na = 2H2C – Ona – CHO – Na – CH2 – ONa + 3H2;
2C6H5OH + 2Na = 2C6H5ONa + H2;
Substitution reactions are possible due to the mobility of a hydrogen atom in a group of OH atoms.