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Butanol

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Butanol is a higher alcohol with a four carbon atoms and a general formula of C4H10O. There are four different isomeric structures for butanol:


butan-1-ol         CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH
butan-2-ol         CH3-CH2-CH(OH)-CH3
sec-butanol        CH3-CH-CH3
                       |
                       CH2OH
                      OH
                      |
tert-butanol      CH3-C-CH3
                      |
                      CH3

These butanol isomers, due to their different structures, have somewhat different melting and boiling points. All are moderately miscible in water and used as a base for perfumes. Like all alcohols, they are poisonous.