Alcohols and phenols are classified as mono–, di–, tri-, or polyhydric compounds based on whether they contain one, two, three, or many hydroxyl groups, respectively.

Ethers are formed by the substitution of a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon by an alkoxy or aryloxy group (R–O/Ar–O).

An example of the application of alcohols is the use of ethanol in ordinary spirit for polishing wooden furniture.

Alcohols and phenols are formed when a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon, aliphatic or aromatic, is replaced by an –OH group.

Aryl halides exhibit lower reactivity in nucleophilic substitution due to the resonance effect, which imparts partial double bond character to the C—X bond, making bond cleavage more challenging compared to haloalkanes.