2-Methyl-2-butanol is an organic compound with the following structure:
- The "butanol" part indicates that the molecule is derived from butane (a four-carbon alkane) and has a hydroxyl (–OH) functional group.
- The "2-methyl" designation indicates that there is a methyl (–CH₃) group attached to the second carbon of the butane chain.
The overall structure can be represented as follows:
CH3
|
CH3-C-CH2-CH3
|
OH
In this structure:
- The main carbon chain consists of four carbon atoms (butane).
- The second carbon (C-2) has a methyl group (C-1) and a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to it. This compound belongs to the alcohol family and is classified as a tertiary alcohol due to the presence of the –OH group on a carbon that is bonded to three other carbon atoms.