In naming alcohols, what suffix is added to the end of the name?

In the naming of alcohols, the suffix that is used is -ol. This designation indicates the presence of a hydroxyl group (-OH) in the compound, which is the defining feature of alcohols.

For example, when the simplest alcohol, methanol, is named, the base name "meth" indicates one carbon atom, and the addition of the suffix "-ol" signifies that it is an alcohol with an -OH group. The use of this suffix is consistent across alcohol names regardless of the length or complexity of the carbon chain.

In contrast, the other suffixes mentioned are associated with different classes of compounds. The suffix -ane is used for alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons without double or triple bonds), -ene refers to alkenes (which contain carbon-carbon double bonds), and -yne is used for alkynes (which contain carbon-carbon triple bonds). These distinctions are critical in organic chemistry for identifying the type of compound based on its functional groups.