26 ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY 



as wood alcohol or methyl alcohol. It is the first or lowest mem- 

 ber of a large group of similar compounds to which we give the 

 class name of alcohol. All alcohols are characterized by this 

 hydroxyl group and are hydroxy substitution products of the 

 hydrocarbons. They are an exceedingly important class of 

 compounds, and are related to agriculture in that they are 

 produced from agricultural products, and because they possess 

 properties which make them possible of important uses in 

 agriculture. 



The second member of the series, viz., the hydroxy-ethane, 

 or ethyl hydroxide, CH3 — CH2 — OH, is known chemically as 

 ethyl alcohol and commonly as grain alcohol, fermentation alcohol 

 or simply as alcohol. The first five members of the alcohol 

 series, together with two of the higher members, are as follows : 



Alcohols 



CH3-OH Methyl alcohol (Wood 



alcohol) 



CH3 - CH2 - OH Ethyl alcohol (Alcohol) 



CH3 - CH2 - CH2 - OH Propyl alcohol 



CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH Butyl alcohol 



CH3 - CH2 - CH2 - CH2 - CH2 - OH Amyl alcohol 



C16H33 - OH Cetyl alcohol 



C30H61 - OH Myricyl alcohol 



We shall now consider the first two common alcohols, and 

 one or two of the others, more at length in connection with 

 their production from agricultural products and their uses. 



EXPERIMENT STUDY V 

 Alcohols, Distillation 



Set up apparatus for distillation consisting of {a) distilling flask, 

 (6) stopper and thermometer, {c) condenser, {d) adapter, {e) receiver. 

 (See drawing on laboratory blackboard.) 



