Alcohols contain the functional group –OH. Methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol are the first four members of a homologous series of alcohols. Alcohols can be represented in the following forms: CH3CH2OH or Students should be able to: • describe what happens when any of the first four alcohols react with sodium, burn in air, are added to water, react with an oxidising agent • recall the main uses of these alcohols. • Aqueous solutions of ethanol are produced when sugar solutions are fermented using yeast. Students should know the conditions used for fermentation of sugar using yeast. Students should be able to recognise alcohols from their names or from given formulae. Students do not need to know the names of individual alcohols other than methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol. Students are not expected to write balanced chemical equations for the reactions of alcohols other than for combustion reactions.