Which of the following statement is correct for alcohols?

Options

A. They react only as a nucleophile
B. They react only as an electrophile
C. They react both as a nucleophile and an electrophile
D. They neither react as a nucleophile nor an electrophile

Answer

To determine which statement is correct for alcohols, we need to analyze the behavior of alcohols in terms of their reactivity as nucleophiles and electrophiles. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the reasoning:

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of Alcohols
Alcohols have the general formula ROH, where R is an alkyl group and OH is the hydroxyl group. The oxygen atom in the hydroxyl group has two lone pairs of electrons.

**Hint:** Recall that nucleophiles are species that donate an electron pair, while electrophiles are species that accept an electron pair.

### Step 2: Alcohols as Nucleophiles
When an alcohol (ROH) reacts with a positive electrophile, the oxygen atom can donate its lone pair of electrons to form a bond with the electrophile. In this case, ROH acts as a nucleophile.

**Hint:** Look for the presence of lone pairs on the oxygen atom that can be used to form new bonds.

### Step 3: Reaction Example
For example, if ROH reacts with a positive electrophile (let's say a carbocation), the alcohol can donate its lone pair to the electrophile, resulting in a new compound (ROC) and liberating a hydrogen ion (H⁺).

**Hint:** Think about how the formation of new bonds occurs when nucleophiles interact with electrophiles.

### Step 4: Alcohols as Electrophiles
In another scenario, consider the alcohol RCH₂OH when it is protonated (gains an H⁺ ion). This results in RCH₂OH₂⁺, which now has a positive charge and can act as an electrophile.

**Hint:** Remember that protonation can change the behavior of a molecule, allowing it to act as an electrophile.

### Step 5: Reaction of Protonated Alcohol
When the protonated alcohol (RCH₂OH₂⁺) reacts with a nucleophile (like Br⁻), it can form a new product (RCH₂Br) while releasing water (H₂O).

**Hint:** Consider how the charge of a molecule influences its reactivity and the type of reactions it can undergo.

### Conclusion
Based on the analysis, we conclude that alcohols can act as both nucleophiles and electrophiles depending on the conditions of the reaction. Therefore, the correct statement regarding alcohols is that they can act as both nucleophiles and electrophiles.

**Final Answer:** C. Alcohols can act as both nucleophiles and electrophiles.