question_answer 16)

Explain why propanol has higher boiling point than that ofthe hydrocarbon, butane? Boiling point is directly proportional to the intermolecular forces existing in a compound.  

Answer:

Although butane and propanol have comparable molecularmasses (58 and 60 respectively) but, in propanol, polar ?OH group ispresent, due to which strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding existsbetween its molecules. Whereas in butane weak van der Waals' forcesof attraction are the only forces between the molecules. Therefore,propanol has higher boiling point (391 K) as compared to that of butane(309 K).