Hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate-based compound with numerous applications in the biological field was synthesized using the sol-gel processing route. The formation of hydroxyapatite and other compounds during the heat-treatment cycle were identified and characterized using thermal analyses and X-ray diffraction together with infrared and Raman spectroscopy. The influence of the addition of various organic alcohols (R-OH, R=CH3-, C2H5- and C3H8-) on the reaction results was studied.