Chapter 21, Problem 58E

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The way alcohol and ether are structurally related to water is to be determined.

Concept introduction:

Alcohol is an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is attached to the carbon chain. The general representation of alcohol is $\text{R}-\text{OH}$, $\text{R}$ represents an alkyl group. On the other hand, ether is an organic compound in which oxygen atom is attached with two alkyl groups. The general representation of the ether is $\text{R}-\text{O}-{\text{R}}^{\text{'}}$, here $\text{R}$ and ${\text{R}}^{\text{'}}$ represents an alkyl group that can be the same or different.

Water $\left({\text{H}}_{\text{2}}\text{O}\right)$ has a bent structure and the oxygen atom is the central atom that is attached to two hydrogen atoms.