Question

Which statements describes why ethyl methyl ether (b.p. 7.9°C) and 1-propanol (b.p. 97.2°C) have such different boiling points despite identical molar masses? A) Ethyl methyl ether has more hydrogen bonding than 1-propanol. B) 1-propanol has more hydrogen bonding than ethyl methyl ether. C) Ethyl methyl ether has greater dispersion forces than 1-propanol. D) 1-propanol has greater dispersion forces than ethyl methyl ether. E) Ethyl methyl ether has greater molecular volume than 1-propanol.

Answer 1

Answer:

B) 1-propanol has more hydrogen bonding than ethyl methyl ether.

Explanation:

1-propanol and ethyl methyl ether look very similar but have very different boiling points. They both have three carbon atoms but ethyl methyl ether has an oxygen atom.

Ethyl methyl ether has both London dispersion forces and dipole-dipole interactions.

1-Propanol has London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bonding.

1-propanol has more hydrogen bonding than ethyl methyl ether which explains why they both have different boiling points.