Alcohols and phenols are formed
when a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon, aliphatic and
aromatic respectively, is replaced by –OH group These
classes of compounds find wide applications in industry
as well as in day-to-day life For instance, have you
ever noticed that ordinary spirit used for polishing
wooden furniture is chiefly a compound containing
hydroxyl group, ethanol The sugar we eat, the cotton
used for fabrics, the paper we use for writing, are all
made up of compounds containing –OH groups