Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic odor. Its physical and chemical properties are largely influenced by its molecular structure, which features a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a two-carbon alkyl chain.

Physical Properties:

• Appearance: Clear, colorless liquid.
• Odor: Characteristic, agreeable odor.
• Boiling Point: 78.29 °C (173 °F; 351 K) ^[1]
• Melting Point: -114.1 °C (-173.4 °F; 159 K) ^[1]
• Density: 0.789 g/cm³ at 20 °C ^[1]
• Solubility: Miscible with water, benzene, diethyl ether, acetone, and many other organic solvents. ^[2]

Chemical Properties:

• Flammability: Highly flammable; burns with a clean, blue flame. ^[2]
• Acidity: Ethanol is a very weak acid, but it can donate a proton in the presence of a strong base.
• Basicity: Ethanol is also a weak base, due to the lone pairs of electrons on the oxygen atom.
• Reactions:
  • Oxidation: Can be oxidized to acetaldehyde and further to acetic acid. ^[3]
  • Esterification: Reacts with carboxylic acids to form esters.
  • Dehydration: Can be dehydrated to form ethylene (ethene) in the presence of an acid catalyst at high temperatures.
  • Combustion: Reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

Ethanol's ability to dissolve in both polar (like water) and nonpolar solvents makes it a versatile solvent in various chemical and industrial applications. Its flammability is exploited in its use as a fuel.

References:

1. NIST Chemistry WebBook
2. Sigma-Aldrich Ethanol Product Information
3. LibreTexts: Oxidation of Alcohols