Science, Tech, Math › Science What Is the OH Functional Group Called? Share Flipboard Email Print The hydroxyl functional group is an oxygen-containing group based on an alcohol or OH group. Ben Mills Science Chemistry Molecules Basics Chemical Laws Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Facebook Twitter Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on March 07, 2019 It's important to know the names of the organic functional groups since they appear again and again in structures. Here's a look at what the OH functional group is called. Question: What Is the OH Functional Group Called? Answer: The -OH functional group is the hydroxyl group. OH is an alcohol consisting of an oxygen atom bonded to a hydrogen atom. When this functional group appears in a molecule, the prefix used is "hydroxy". Hydroxyl and Hydroxy Group Properties One of the key properties of the OH group is that is is readily deprotonated. This occurs because hydrogen and oxygen have different electronegativity values. Group that contain this functional group tend to have higher melting and boiling points than compounds that lack the group. This is due to hydrogen bonding between molecules. The presence of the group also aids solubility of organic compounds in water. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is the OH Functional Group Called?" ThoughtCo, Aug. 25, 2020, thoughtco.com/oh-functional-group-name-608776. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 25). What Is the OH Functional Group Called? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/oh-functional-group-name-608776 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is the OH Functional Group Called?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/oh-functional-group-name-608776 (accessed March 27, 2023). copy citation