Chapter Profile

The content in  this    chapter should  be  relevant    to  about   15% of  all questions   about   Organic

Chemistry   on  the MCAT.

This    chapter covers  material    from    the following   AAMC    content category:

5D: Structure,  function,   and reactivity  of  biologically-relevant   molecules

Introduction

Alcohols are probably the most popular chemicals you’ll encounter in organic chemistry. Ethanol
has been popular with humans for more than 10,000 years. It’s not just humans, either: many
animals are known to seek out rotten fruits that have fermented enough to contain moderate levels
of ethanol. Note that when we talk about consuming “alcohol,” we are referring exclusively to
ethanol (grain alcohol). In fact, consuming other alcohols can have drastically negative effects.