How does ethyl alcohol differ from methyl alcohol?

1 Answer
Dec 24, 2015

Compare the formula: #H_3COH#, methanol, versus #H_3C-CH_2OH#, ethanol.

Explanation:

Ethanol contains an extra methylene (#CH_2#) unit. Methanol has a boiling point of #64.7# #""^@C#; ethanol has a boiling point of #78.4# #""^@C#. Both solvents are infinitely miscible with water; they are water like solvents. Only ethanol is miscible with hexanes. Why should this be so?