Definition
The term hydroxyl group is used to describe the –OH functional group in an organic compound. Organic molecules containing hydroxyl groups are known as alcohols. Hydroxyl groups are especially important in biochemistry due to their tendency to form hydrogen bonds, as they contain both lone pairs of electrons and a weakly acidic proton. Hydroxyl groups are also able to form hydrogen bonds with water, a property that increases the hydrophilicity and solubility of molecules containing them. The carbohydrates are an example of a group of molecules that are extremely soluble due to hydroxyl functional groups.
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© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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Cleaves, H.J. (2011). Hydroxyl Group. In: Gargaud, M., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_764
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-11274-4_764
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
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