Benzyl alcohol is a
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → primary alcohol.
An alcohol is classified by the carbon atom that carries the –OH group (the carbinol carbon):
Primary (1°): the carbinol carbon is attached to one other carbon (or none, as in methanol), e.g. \( \ce{CH3CH2OH} \).
Secondary (2°): attached to two other carbons, e.g. \( \ce{(CH3)2CHOH} \).
Tertiary (3°): attached to three other carbons, e.g. \( \ce{(CH3)3COH} \).
Benzyl alcohol is \( \ce{C6H5-CH2-OH} \). Its carbinol carbon (the \( \ce{CH2} \)) is attached to only one carbon, a ring carbon. So benzyl alcohol is a primary alcohol. Because this sp3 carbon is next to a benzene ring, it is also called a benzylic alcohol.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
Benzylic Alcohols
