Green Chemistry

Alcohols

Illustration showing polarity in alcohols

Module Overview

This module uses simple alcohols as the primary examples to supplement the standard organic topics of physical properties, intramolecular forces, base stability, and an introduction to mechanism arrows. This module is designed to be taught in consecutive class periods of one week early in the Organic I term. Students need to be familiar with basic naming and hybridization. There are three units: 1) intramolecular forces, properties, and alcohol toxicity 2) acidity and the acid-base mechanism, and 3) biofuels: considering a system. These units also serve as a platform to introduce and reinforce the concepts of systems thinking, using Loopy to understand a plastic bag life cycle, a pro/con chart to choose a hand sanitizer, and evaluating biofuels sustainability. Acid/base chemistry is covered in class with a guided learning activity. Green chemistry principles of minimizing hazardous products and wastes are addressed in the properties unit, and awareness of the sustainability of reactants is addressed in the biofuels unit. UNSDG 3: Good health, 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, and 12: Responsible Consumption and Production are addressed throughout.

Module Goal

The goal of this module is to learn the acid-base mechanism and stability and to understand the structure, properties, and reactivity of alcohols as sustainable fuels and commercial products. Students will compare and evaluate the environmental impact, toxicity, and life cycle from source to the end-fate of alcohols obtained from bio-feedstocks vs. nonrenewable feedstocks.  Students will evaluate and develop systems diagrams for alcohol products and will connect them to the larger sustainability goals of UNSDG 3: Good health, 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, and 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. 

Audience

First-semester organic chemistry undergraduates

Class Time Requirement

Approximately three consecutive 50-minute class periods

Module Authors

Felicia A. Etzkorn, Virginia Tech; Jamie L. Ferguson, Emory & Henry College; Maggie B. Bump, Virginia Tech

Module Summary

Assumed Prior Knowledge

Students should be able to demonstrate the following skills and concepts to successfully begin this module:

  • Familiarity with basic naming and hybridization

Special Resources

If instructor chooses to have students do Loopy systems diagrams in class, students will need laptops.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  1. Understand molecular models of alcohol structures.
  2. Predict trends in boiling point, flash point, and miscibility with water.
  3. Evaluate how structure and physical properties affect toxicity and consumer applications.
  4. Interpret and apply toxicity data to a consumer product using a systems thinking approach.
  5. Use understanding of relative acidity to predict the major species found at equilibrium in a system of two acids.
  6. Analyze utility, environmental impacts, and chemical limitations of biobased alcohols in consumer and industrial applications.

Unit Overview

 

Unit 1: Alcohols: Structure, Properties, and Toxicity

 

1.1

Lecture (50 minutes): Introduction to Green Chemistry, Structure, Naming, and Models Properties of Alcohols: Polarity, Hydrogen Bonding, Boiling Point, Flash Point. 

1.2

In-class Activities: Flammability and Flambé; Toxicity of Alcohols; Hand Sanitizers Systems Thinking

1.3

Homework (15 minutes outside of class): Boiling Point Trends. Homework (20 min outside of class): Alcohol Toxicity

 

Unit 2: Hydrocarbons and Feedstocks

 

2.1

Guided Learning activity (50 minutes): Organic Acids and Bases: Relationship between Structure, pKa, and thermodynamic stability.

2.2

In-class Activity: Acidity Questions

2.3

Homework (40 minutes outside of class): Introduction to Alcohol Mechanisms and Reactions

 

Unit 3: Alcohols as Sustainable Fuels

 

3.1

Lecture (50 minutes): Alcohols as Sustainable Fuels

3.2

In-class Activity: Group Discussion Systems Thinking Approach to Assess Biofuel Sustainability

3.3

Homework (30 minutes outside of class): Discussion forum: Alcohols as biofuels. Homework (60 min outside of class): Are alcohol solvents the answer?

 

Download Module Files (.zip)

Download Module

Alcohols Includes:

  • Module Overview Document
  • Units 1-3
  • Formative Assessments
  • Summative Assessments
Download Folder (.zip)

 

UN SDGs

This module references the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production

Copyright Statement

We encourage the reuse and dissemination of the material here for noncommercial purposes as long as attribution to the original material on the ACS site is retained. Material on this page is offered under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License unless otherwise noted.

  • Attribution required
  • Allows remix of content
  • Commercial use not allowed

 

About the Green Chemistry Module Project

The ACS Green Chemistry Instiute has partnered with chemistry instructors from over 45 institutions to develop green chemistry education resources for undergraduate students studying general and organic chemistry.

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