text: In chemistry, an alcohol is a type of organic compound that carries at least one hydroxyl () functional group  bound to a saturated carbon atom. Alcohols range from the simple, like methanol and ethanol, to complex, like sugar alcohols and cholesterol. The presence of an OH group strongly modifies the properties of hydrocarbons, conferring hydrophilic (water-loving) properties.  The OH group provides a site at which many reactions can occur.