Physical and Chemical Properties Of Alcohols! By Joe Glenwright

Physical Properties!  They are influenced by the ability of alcohols to form Hydrogen bonds between –O-H groups on neighbouring molecules!

Volatility and Boiling Points!  Hydrogen bonds are the strongest intermolecular force. They cause alcohols to have a relatively high melting and boiling points!  But they also cause alcohols to have a lower volatility than alkanes of a similar molecular mass!

Solubility!  Alcohols dissolve in water because hydrogen bonds form between the polar –O-H groups of the alcohols and water molecules!  The first three members of the homologous series are soluble in water!  Solubility decreases as the chain length increases; the larger part of the alcohol molecule is made up of a non-polar hydrocarbon chain. Also the hydrocarbon part of the chain doesn’t form hydrogen bonds with water!