Benzyl alcohol

Overview

A primary alcohol whose CH2OH group is attached to a phenyl ring.

The hydroxyl is on the side chain rather than directly on an aromatic carbon, so this is an alcohol rather than a phenol. Oxidation can give benzaldehyde and then benzoic acid, depending on oxidant and reaction conditions.

Identifiers

Formula

C7H8O

Functional group

Primary alcohols

Molar mass

108.14 g/mol

Also known as

phenylmethanol, benzenemethanol, phenylcarbinol, Benzenecarbinol, Hydroxytoluene, Benzoyl alcohol

Properties

Melting Point

-15.2 °C

Boiling Point

205.3 °C

Density

1.0419 g/cu cm at 24 °C

Water solubility

In water, 42,900 mg/L at 25 °C

Related compounds

• Alcohols

  A primary alcohol whose CH2OH group is attached to a phenyl ring.

• Primary alcohols

  A primary alcohol whose CH2OH group is attached to a phenyl ring.

Connected reactions

• Complete oxidation: Benzyl alcohol → Benzoic acid

  Oxidation first changes the benzylic CH2OH group into an aldehyde and then into carboxylate under the alkaline conditions. Acid work-up gives benzoic acid; the ring is retained while the side-chain carbon becomes more oxidised.

• Carbonyl reduction: Benzaldehyde → Benzyl alcohol

  Hydride attacks the aldehyde carbon and the C=O pi electrons move to oxygen. Protonation of the alkoxide gives benzyl alcohol; neither a new carbon-carbon bond nor reduction of the aromatic ring is involved.

References

1. PubChem Compound Summary: Benzyl alcohol (CID 244)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem

   Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.

2. OpenStax Organic Chemistry: Oxidation of alcoholsJohn McMurry · OpenStax · 2023

   Supports the qualitative structural interpretation of the recorded molecular structure; no new physical measurement or verified preparative yield is claimed.

3. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzyl alcohol — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/244#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 94th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2013-2014, p. 4-44

4. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzyl alcohol — boiling pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/244#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 94th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2013-2014, p. 3-44

5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzyl alcohol — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/244#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Haynes, W.M. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 94th Edition. CRC Press LLC, Boca Raton: FL 2013-2014, p. 3-44

6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Benzyl alcohol — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

   Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/244#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Yalkowsky, S.H., He, Yan, Jain, P. Handbook of Aqueous Solubility Data Second Edition. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL 2010, p. 398