Which of the following alcohols is most acidic?

Which of the following alcohols is most acidic?

Correct Answer: Methanol

Step 1: Understand what acidity means in the context of alcohols. Acidity refers to how easily an alcohol can donate a proton (H+).
Step 2: Identify the alcohols being compared. Common alcohols include methanol, ethanol, and others.
Step 3: Recognize that steric hindrance refers to the crowding around a reactive site, which can affect how easily a proton can be donated.
Step 4: Compare the structures of the alcohols. Methanol (CH3OH) has a simple structure with no bulky groups around the hydroxyl (-OH) group.
Step 5: Note that alcohols with more bulky groups (like tert-butanol) have more steric hindrance, making it harder for them to donate a proton.
Step 6: Conclude that methanol, having no steric hindrance, can donate a proton more easily than the other alcohols, making it the most acidic.

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