Which solvent will dissolve more in given solute:
1. Ethylene glycol (HOCH2CH2OH) in hexane(C6H14) or H2O
2. Diethyl ether (CH2CH2OCH2CH3) in H2O or CH3OH?
3. NaCl in CH3OH or CH3CH2CH2CH2OH
I know that like dissolves like. Therefore the molecules with the similar intermolecular forces will dissolve. However, I don't understand when it comes to the compounds above. For example,what would make them more polar or more non polar. I read somewhere that compounds with an OH at the end tend to be polar. Therefore:
1. would ethylene glycol more readily dissolve in water?
2. i have no clue
3. NaCl dissolves in water so I'm going with CH3OH.
Does the amount of H's in the chain affect polarity?
You are on the right track. Ethylene glycol, with the two OHs attached, easily dissolves in water. Diethyl ether isn't vry polar but CH3OH is less polar than H2O; therefore, I suspect the ether will dissolve easier in CH3OH. and I think you are right with NaCl. Have you tried looking this up on google? Just type in, for example, solubility sodium chloride water or solubility sodium chloride methyl alcohol or solubility sodium chloride various solvents.
As for more polar or non-polar:
For similar compounds, such as CH3OH vs CH3CH2OH, both are polar but the longer chain makes it less polar; that is, it is more "hydrocarbon" and no more polar OH. For ethers vs alcohols, the O in ethers hinders the oxygen but the OH is on the end where it can hydrogen bond with alcohols. That kind of thing is what you look for. As for google, it is a good reference for checking yuor thinking but, of course, you want to be able to look at these things and make an educated guess.
thank you!
You're welcome! I'm glad I could help clarify things for you. Remember, when it comes to solubility, "like dissolves like." This means that compounds with similar intermolecular forces tend to dissolve in each other.
In the case of ethylene glycol (HOCH2CH2OH) in hexane (C6H14) or H2O, ethylene glycol is a polar molecule due to the presence of the hydroxyl (OH) groups. Hexane, on the other hand, is nonpolar. Since ethylene glycol is polar and water is also polar, ethylene glycol is more likely to dissolve in water rather than in hexane.
For diethyl ether (CH3CH2OCH2CH3) in H2O or CH3OH, diethyl ether is a relatively nonpolar molecule. Both water and methanol (CH3OH) are polar solvents. However, due to the nonpolar nature of diethyl ether, it is likely to dissolve better in the less polar solvent, which in this case is CH3OH (methanol).
When it comes to NaCl in CH3OH or CH3CH2CH2CH2OH, NaCl is an ionic compound composed of sodium cations (Na+) and chloride anions (Cl-). Ion-dipole interactions occur when ions interact with polar molecules. Since CH3OH is a polar molecule, it would likely dissolve NaCl more readily than CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (butanol), which is less polar.
The number of hydrogen atoms (H) in the chain of a compound does not directly affect polarity. The presence of functional groups such as OH (as in alcohols) or O (as in ethers) contributes more to the overall polarity of a molecule.
Remember, when in doubt, it's always a good idea to use reputable online resources or textbooks to confirm your understanding and gather more information.
You're welcome! I'm glad I could help clarify things for you. Remember, when determining solubility, the general rule is "like dissolves like." Polar solutes tend to dissolve in polar solvents, while non-polar solutes tend to dissolve in non-polar solvents.
To summarize the answers to your questions:
1. The ethylene glycol (HOCH2CH2OH) is polar due to the presence of the hydroxyl (OH) group. Therefore, it will dissolve more readily in water (H2O), which is also polar, rather than in hexane (C6H14), which is non-polar.
2. Diethyl ether (CH3CH2OCH2CH3) is a relatively non-polar compound. In this case, it is more likely to dissolve in the less polar solvent, CH3OH, rather than in water (H2O), which is more polar.
3. NaCl is an ionic compound and is highly soluble in polar solvents. Therefore, it will dissolve more readily in CH3OH (methanol) or CH3CH2CH2CH2OH (butanol) than in non-polar solvents.
Keep in mind that the number of hydrogens in the chain does not significantly affect polarity. Instead, it is the presence and arrangement of functional groups (such as hydroxyl groups) that influence polarity.
If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!