Answer to Question #169413 in Organic Chemistry for Jeremy

Question

1. ethane C₂H₆
2. ethanol C₂H₆O (CH₃CH₂OH)
3. ethanoic acid C₂H₄O₂ (CH₃COOH)
4. methoxymethane C₂H₆O (CH₃OCH₃)
5. octane C₈H₁₈
6. 1-octanol C₈H₁₈O (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂OH)
7. Rank the four compounds above that contain two carbons from lowest to highest boiling point.
8. Of the six compounds, which is the most soluble and which one is the least soluble in water? Explain your answers.
9. Between ethanol and 1-octanol: Which compound is more polar? Explain your answer.
10. Which compound is less soluble in water? Explain your answer.
11. The above six compounds belong to four different classes of organic compounds. Which of the four classes would be the most soluble in non-polar compounds? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

7. Ethane, metoxymethane, ethanol, ethanoic acid

8. Ethanol and ethanoic acid are both infinitely soluble in water; octane is the least soluble one; it is all because of the polarity: the more polar substance is, the more it is soluble in water

9. Ethanol is more polar, because it has a shorter tail part

10. Octane is the least soluble one, because it is not polar at all

11. The most soluble in non-polar compounds class is alkanes, because it is the least polar class.