One of the skin-irritating components of poison oak is tetrahydrourushiol: The long, nonpolar hydrocarbon tail embeds itself in a person's oily skin, where the molecule initiates an allergic response. Scratching the itch spreads tetrahydrourushiol molecules over a greater surface area, causing the zone of irritation to grow. Is this compound an alcohol or a phenol?

Question

One of the skin-irritating components of poison oak is tetrahydrourushiol:  The long, nonpolar hydrocarbon tail embeds itself in a person's oily skin, where the molecule initiates an allergic response. Scratching the itch spreads tetrahydrourushiol molecules over a greater surface area, causing the zone of irritation to grow. Is this compound an alcohol or a phenol?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tetrahydrourushiol contains a benzene ring with a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to it, which makes it a phenol, not an alcohol. The molecule does contain another hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a non-aromatic carbon, but that doesn't change its classification as a phenol.

One of the Skin-Irritating Components of Poison Oak Is Tetrahydrourushiol