A white crystalline organic compound consisting of two phenyl groups attached to a carbon atom bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH), used as a precursor in organic synthesis.
From 'benz-' (benzene) + 'hydro-' (water/hydrogen) + '-ol' (alcohol suffix). The term emerged in the 1800s as chemists synthesized compounds with multiple benzene rings and hydroxyl groups.
Benzhydrol is essentially 'diphenylmethanol,' two benzene rings attached to a carbon with an alcohol group—it's a classic reagent that chemists use as a starting point for building more complex molecules.
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