Answer to Question #85839 in Organic Chemistry for anuj

Question

Ethanol has higher boiling point than dimethyl ether

Answer 1

The boiling point of ethanol is +78°C whereas the boiling point of dimethyl ether is -25°C. As a result, ethanol has a higher boiling point than dimethyl ether that is caused by the presence of multiple hydrogen bonds between ethanol molecules. In dimethyl ether, regular dipole moments are the major intermolecular bonds. As hydrogen bonds are stronger than ordinary dipole moments, ethanol molecules form stronger interactions that significantly increase the boiling point of ethanol compared to dimethyl ether.