Dibutyl ether has a higher boiling point than ethanol. Which intermolecular force is primarily responsible for this difference? Group of answer choicesDipole-Dipole ForcesHydrogen bondingIon-Dipole ForcesInduced Dipole (London Dispersion Forces)
Question
Dibutyl ether has a higher boiling point than ethanol. Which intermolecular force is primarily responsible for this difference? Group of answer choicesDipole-Dipole ForcesHydrogen bondingIon-Dipole ForcesInduced Dipole (London Dispersion Forces)
Solution
The primary intermolecular force responsible for the higher boiling point of dibutyl ether compared to ethanol is Induced Dipole (London Dispersion Forces).
Here's why:
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Both dibutyl ether and ethanol have dipole-dipole forces due to their polar nature. However, this can't explain the difference in boiling points as both compounds have this force.
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Ethanol can form hydrogen bonds, which are stronger than dipole-dipole forces. This would actually make us expect ethanol to have a higher boiling point, not dibutyl ether.
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Ion-dipole forces are not relevant here as neither dibutyl ether nor ethanol are ionic compounds.
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This leaves us with London Dispersion Forces, which are present in all molecules. These forces increase with the size and shape of the molecule. Dibutyl ether is a larger molecule than ethanol, which means it has more electrons and thus stronger London Dispersion Forces. This is the primary reason why dibutyl ether has a higher boiling point than ethanol.
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