Compare the water solubility and expected BP of propanol, propyl acetate, and acetic acid. Briefly explain why the difference are evident.

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To compare the water solubility and expected boiling point (BP) of propanol, propyl acetate, and acetic acid, we need to consider the structure and functional groups of these substances.

Propanol (C3H7OH) is an alcohol, propyl acetate (CH3COOCH2CH2CH3) is an ester, and acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a carboxylic acid.

Water solubility depends on the polarity of the substance. Polar substances tend to dissolve in polar solvents like water, while nonpolar substances dissolve better in nonpolar solvents.

Among the three compounds, acetic acid is the most polar due to the carboxylic acid functional group (-COOH), which contains both a polar carbonyl group (C=O) and a polar hydroxyl group (OH). As a result, acetic acid readily forms hydrogen bonds with water molecules, making it highly soluble in water.

Propanol is also polar due to the hydroxyl group (OH). While it is not as polar as acetic acid, propanol can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, making it moderately soluble in water.

On the other hand, propyl acetate is nonpolar. The acetyl group (CH3COO-) is polar, but the alkyl chain (CH2CH2CH3) is nonpolar. As a result, propyl acetate cannot form significant hydrogen bonds with water, leading to lower solubility compared to acetic acid and propanol.

Regarding the boiling points, the strength of intermolecular forces plays a significant role. In general, stronger intermolecular forces result in higher boiling points.

Acetic acid has the highest boiling point because it can form strong hydrogen bonds between its carboxylic acid groups. These hydrogen bonds require more energy to break, leading to a higher boiling point.

Propanol has a lower boiling point than acetic acid because its intermolecular forces are not as strong. While propanol can form hydrogen bonds, they are weaker due to the presence of only one hydroxyl group.

Propyl acetate has the lowest boiling point among the three because it lacks functional groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds. Its intermolecular forces are limited to weaker London dispersion forces.

In summary, acetic acid has the highest water solubility and boiling point, followed by propanol with moderate solubility and boiling point, and propyl acetate with lower solubility and boiling point. These differences in solubility and boiling point arise from the variations in polarity and intermolecular forces due to the different functional groups present in these compounds.