Question

Which of the following solvents will best dissolve wax, which is a complex mixture of compounds that mostly are CH3−CH2−CH2−CH2−CH2—? Structural formulas for molecules (a) (a) Hexane (a) Hexane is a six-carbon zigzag chain, with the terminal carbons single bonded to three Hs and all other Cs to two Hs. Structural formulas for molecules (b) (b) Benzene (b) Benzene is a six-membered ring with carbon as all of its vertices and alternating single and double bonds as the sides. Each carbon is also single bond-ed to H. Structural formulas for molecules (c) (c) Acetone (c) Acetone is a central C double bonded above to O and single bonded right and left, angled down, to CH3. Structural formulas for molecules (d) (d) Carbon tetrachloride (d) Carbon tetrachloride is a central C single bonded to four Cls. Structural formulas for molecules (e) (e) Water

Answer 1

Wax will be dissolved by nonpolar solvents: (a) hexane, (b) benzene and (d) carbon tetrachloride

Wax will not be dissolved by polar solvent such as (c)  acetone and (e) water