It was the purpose of this investigation to synthesize 3-ethyl-2-pentanol, determine its physical constants and characterize it with certain derivatives. It was hoped that through a study of this alcohol some information might be gained about the abnormal reactions encountered in a previous preparation of 3-ethyl-1-pentanol. 3-ethyl-2-pentanol was synthesized using 2-ethyl-1-butanal and methyl iodide. Physical constants, such as the boiling point, density, and refractive index, were obtained along with three derivatives. These derivatives were: the p-nitrobenzoate, the 3,5 dinitrobenzoate, and the [proportional to]-Naphthyl carbamate. 3-ethyl-1-pentanol was synthesized after it was found that the drying agent previously used was at least partially responsible for the decomposition that had been encountered when distilling the alcohol solution. Physical constants and five derivatives were obtained from this alcohol. The derivatives were: the p-nitrobenzoate, the 1-nitro-anthraquinone-2-carboxylate, the N-p-diphenyl carbamate, the N-p-nitrophenyl carbamate, and the 3-nitrophthalate. A comparison was made of the dehydration products of the two alcohols. It was found that dehydration of 3-ethyl-2-pentanol gave the product expected, if no rearrangement took place. The dehydration of 3-ethyl-1-pentanol decomposed the alcohol to a saturated hydrocarbon.