Revision Notes MCQ Bank SAQ Bank Study Cards Courses Teachers Blog
OCR A Level Chemistry A – Module 4 Core Organic Chemistry

4.2.1
Alcohols

Section 4.2.1 covers the polarity of alcohols and the hydrogen bonding that explains their solubility and low volatility, classification as primary, secondary and tertiary, combustion, oxidation with acidified dichromate(VI) to aldehydes, carboxylic acids and ketones under controlled conditions, elimination of water to form alkenes, and substitution with halide ions in acid to form haloalkanes. The techniques page supports PAG 5.

Exam Paper
Paper 2 & 3
H432/02 and H432/03
Specification Points
4.2.1 (a) – (e)
5 learning outcomes
Sub-topics
4 lessons
Revision notes available
Exam Board
OCR
H432 (2015 onwards)

Revision Notes

4 revision notes, in the order the specification teaches them.

Primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols side by side
1

Alcohols: Naming, Classification and Properties

Alcohols: nomenclature, structural, displayed and skeletal formulae, primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols, hydrogen bonding, boiling temperatures and solubility.

Start revising
An orange solution turning green in a water bath
2

Oxidation of Alcohols

The oxidation of alcohols: acidified dichromate(VI), aldehydes, carboxylic acids and ketones, distillation versus reflux, [O] equations and tests for aldehydes and acids.

Start revising
Alcohol vapour passing over hot aluminium oxide
3

Substitution and Elimination Reactions of Alcohols

Reactions of alcohols: combustion, halogenation with PCl₅, KBr and sulfuric acid, and red phosphorus and iodine, and dehydration to alkenes.

Start revising
A flask heated under reflux
4

Preparing and Purifying Organic Liquids

Preparing and purifying organic liquids: reflux, distillation, separating funnel, drying agents, boiling temperature and percentage yield.

Start revising

Summary Map

Download, print and revise the reactions of this topic at a glance.

Summary maps

Download, print and revise the reactions of this topic at a glance.

Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Alcohols Map

OCR A Level Chemistry A · 4.2.1 Alcohols

Every reaction on one A4 page: reagents, conditions and reaction type for each arrow, colour coded, with the key tests.

Download the map7 reactions · A4 portrait · print ready
Illustration of a summary map: compounds joined by reaction arrows
Summary map · PDF

Alcohols Summary Map

OCR A Level Chemistry A · 4.2.1 Alcohols

The whole section on one A4 page: names and properties, combustion, haloalkanes and alkenes from alcohols, oxidation, and purifying a liquid, with worked examples.

Download the map6 key ideas + a data table · A4 portrait · print ready

© 2026 Online Learning System. For personal study: printing is allowed; editing, copying and redistribution are not.

Virtual Lessons

Recorded video lessons that teach the topic step by step.

Coming soon

The Virtual Lessons for 4.2.1 Alcohols are being recorded.

MCQ Bank

Multiple-choice papers on this topic, marked the moment you submit.

Coming soon

The MCQ papers for 4.2.1 Alcohols are being written.

Open the MCQ Bank

SAQ Bank

Written, drawn and worked exam practice on this topic.

Coming soon

The exam practice papers for 4.2.1 Alcohols are being written.

Open the SAQ Bank

Revision Game

Match reagents to products, free, with your board's reagents and conditions.

Illustration of memory game cards, two turned face up as a matching pairFree

Revision Game: Alcohols

Turn the cards over two at a time: match reagents to what they make, and find how each product is made.

A free memory game on the reactions in this topic, with your board's reagents, conditions and spec points.

  • Two ways to playMatch each set of reagents to what the reaction makes, or see a product and find the reactant and reagents that make it.
  • Drawn the way the exam draws themEvery structure is drawn in ChemDraw, with the reagents and conditions your exam board asks for.
  • It countsRounds earn XP and keep your streak going, and every correct match shows in your KASP analytics, apart from your marks.

Study Cards

Pick a deck, then turn each card to check what you remember.

Specification

Every specification point in this topic, in the exam board's own words. Rate how confident you are with each one.

Official OCR documentsSpecification (opens the OCR website in a new tab)Data sheet (opens the OCR website in a new tab)

Self-assessment · 12 points

Sign in to rate how confident you feel about each point. Your ratings are saved to your account, follow you to any device, and appear beside your KASP analytics, kept apart from your marks.

Sign in to rate yourself
0 Confident0 Getting there0 Not yet12 Not rated

4.2.1

  1. a (i) a

    the polarity of alcohols

    Revise
  2. a (i) b

    an explanation, in terms of hydrogen bonding, of the water solubility of alcohols compared with alkanes (see also 2.2.2 l and 4.1.2 c)

    Revise
  3. a (i) c

    an explanation, in terms of hydrogen bonding, of the relatively low volatility of alcohols compared with alkanes (see also 2.2.2 l and 4.1.2 c)

    Revise
  4. a (ii)

    classification of alcohols into primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols

    Revise
  5. b

    combustion of alcohols

    Revise
  6. c (i) a

    the oxidation of primary alcohols by an oxidising agent, e.g. Cr2O72–/H+ (i.e. K2Cr2O7/H2SO4), to form aldehydes

    Revise
  7. c (i) b

    the oxidation of primary alcohols by an oxidising agent, e.g. Cr2O72–/H+ (i.e. K2Cr2O7/H2SO4), to form carboxylic acids

    Revise
  8. c (i) c

    the control of the oxidation product of primary alcohols using different reaction conditions

    Revise
  9. c (ii)

    the oxidation of secondary alcohols by an oxidising agent, e.g. Cr2O72–/H+ (i.e. K2Cr2O7/H2SO4), to form ketones

    Revise
  10. c (iii)

    the resistance to oxidation of tertiary alcohols

    Revise
  11. d

    elimination of H2O from alcohols in the presence of an acid catalyst (e.g. H3PO4 or H2SO4) and heat to form alkenes

    Revise
  12. e

    substitution with halide ions in the presence of acid (e.g. NaBr/H2SO4) to form haloalkanes

    Revise