Question

Naphthalene is soluble in diethyl ether, but it is insoluble in water regardless of the solution pH. Explain why this compound cannot be readily ionized in aqueous solution.

Answer 1

Answer:

Naphthalene is a non polar substance

Explanation:

In chemistry, the principle of like dissolves like is the over aching principle that controls the dissolution of one substance in another.

Naphthalene dissolves in diethyl ether because diethyl ether is a non polar solvent just as naphthalene is a nonpolar substance.

Since water is a polar solvent, it can not dissolves naphthalene at any pH because naphthalene is a nonpolar substance.