Alkanolamines are chemical compounds that contain both hydroxyl (-OH) and amino (-NH2, -NHR, and -NR2) functional groups on an alkane backbone. The term alkanolamine is a broad class term that is sometimes used as a subclassification.
2-Aminoalcohols are an important class of organic compounds that contain both an amine and an alcohol functional groups. They are generated often by the reaction of amines with epoxides. Such compounds find a variety of industrial applications. Simple alkanolamines are used as solvents, synthetic intermediates, and high-boiling bases.
Common amino alcohols
A subclass of beta blockers is often called alkanolamine beta blockers. Typical examples are:
Most proteins and peptides contain both alcohols and amino groups. Two amino acids are alkanolamines, formally speaking: serine and hydroxyproline.
In principle, each amino acid can be hydrogenated to the corresponding 2-aminoalcohol. Examples include prolinol (from proline) and valinol (from valine).