How would you compare and contrast the structures of butane and butanol?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 27, 2016

Well, you have got an alcohol versus an alkane.

Explanation:

Of course, we can form isomers with #C_4H_10# or #C_4H_9OH# but let's consider just #"n-butane"# versus #"n-butanol"#. Because butane has negligible intermolecular forces of attraction, it has a boiling point of #0# #""^@C#; #"n-butanol"# has a boiling point of #117.7# #""^@C#. Why the difference in volatility? The structures are almost identical.

Butane has negligible water solubility, #61*mg*L^-1# at #"SLC"#; butanol has a solubility of #73*g*L^-1# under equivalent conditions. The difference in physical and chemical properties is phenomenal! Why the difference? What is going on?

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