Alcohols (Theory)

Question 1

Why do alcohols have much higher boiling points than alkanes or alkenes?

Answer 1

> The alcohols have hydrogen bonding between the OH groups

> This bond is far stronger than the Van Der Waals forces between the alkanes and alkenes

Question 2

For hydration of butene, why would butan-2-ol be the major product over butan-1-ol?

Answer 2

The OH group would be on a carbon atom of secondary carbocation [where carbon is joined to 2 other carbon atoms], which is more stable than primary carbocation

Question 3

If OH attaches to benzene, what would it be called? What would it look like in skeletal formula?

Answer 3

> Phenol

> Hexagon with single thread of hair

Question 4

What is the order of class boiling points (lowest to highest)?
Explain why you noted tertiary molecules as such.

Answer 4

> HIGHEST: Primary
Secondary
LOWEST: Tertiary
Tertiary branching gives rise to ‘spherical’ molecules which have less intermolecular forces, so are easier to break