Alcohols and ethers contain the C-O functional group. Alcohols have an O-H bond while ethers do not. The C-O bond in alcohols and ethers is inert to heterolytic cleavage but can undergo substitution reactions under acidic conditions via protonation of the oxygen. Ether chemistry follows similar mechanisms to alcohol chemistry involving C-O bond cleavage and substitution. Alcohols can act as weak acids via protonation of the O-H bond or as nucleophiles. Common reactions of alcohols include oxidation to form carbonyl compounds, conversion of the O-H to a better leaving group followed by substitution, and elimination reactions to form alkenes