Answer to Question #149620 in General Chemistry for Ahmed Wariach

Question

how and why is Water more polar than Methanol?

Answer 1

Water is more polar than methanol because oxygen in methanol is satisfied with electron releasing methyl group as well as oxygen is bonded with more carbon which is more electronegative than hydrogen. So, charge separation of between the atom is less.

Methanol is influenced by the +I effect of methyl group on Oxygen. Because of the absence of such +I influence on OH bonds of water polarity of molecule is relatively more.