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8.6.2: Boiling Points of Some Organic Compounds Whose Molecules Contain 32 or 34 Electrons

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    49741
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    boiling points of organic compounds of similar size
    Name Projection Formula Type of Compound Boiling Point in degrees C
    Isobutane Chemical structure of butane, showing four carbon atoms connected with hydrogen atoms. Branched Alkane -10.2
    n-Butane
    A structural formula of butane, showing a linear arrangement of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached.
    Straight chain consisting of four "C". Three middle "C" is connected to two "H" each. Left and right "C" are connected to 3 "H" each.
    Normal Alkane  -0.5
    Methyl ethyl ether Structural formula of butane, showing carbon and hydrogen atoms connected by single bonds. Ether 10.8
    Methyl Formate
    Chemical structure of butanoic acid, showing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
    A "C" "H" 3 group is bonded to an "O" which is also bonded to a second "C". This "C" is double bonded to an "O" and single bonded to a "H". 
    Ester 31.5
    Propanal
    Chemical structure of butyric acid, showing carbon atoms with hydrogen and one oxygen atom in a carboxyl group.
    A "C" "H" 3 "C" "H" 2 group is connected to another "C" which is double bonded to an "O" and single bonded to a "H".
    Aldehyde 48.8
    Acetone
    Chemical structure of butan-2-one, showing carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms.
    Central "C" is double bonded to an "O". Bonded at an angle on its left and right side is two identical "C" "H" 3 groups.
    Ketone 56.2
    2-Propanol
    Structural formula of a carbohydrate, showing three carbon atoms connected by single bonds, with hydroxyl (OH) and hydrogen (H) groups.
    "O" "H" group connected to the middle "C" of three carbon straight chain alkane. Left and right "C" is connected to 3 "H" each. Middle C, in addition to "C" "H" 3 group has one bond with "H".
    Alcohol 82.4
    1-Propanol
    Structural diagram of butanol, showing a four-carbon chain with hydrogen and a hydroxyl (OH) group.
    A "C" "H" 3 "C" "H" 2 "C" "H" 2 straight alkane chain is bonded to an "O" "H" group via its last "C".
    Alcohol  82.4
    Acetic Acid
    Molecular structure showing two carbon atoms, four hydrogen atoms, and one hydroxyl (OH) group.
    A "C" "H" 3 group is bonded to a "C" which is double bonded to an "O" and single bonded to an "O" "H" group.
    Carboxylic acid 117.9
    Ethylene Glycol Chemical structure of a sugar molecule, showing two carbon atoms connected by single bonds, each with hydroxyl (OH) groups. Dialcohol (two OH groups) 198

    This table shows the boiling points of organic compounds of similar size. This, then, provides a good means of comparing intermolecular forces of different structure types. In general, decreasing branching, increasing polarity, and increasing hydrogen bonding opportunities increases the boiling point. This makes sense, as all three of these contribute to increase intermolecular forces. 


    This page titled 8.6.2: Boiling Points of Some Organic Compounds Whose Molecules Contain 32 or 34 Electrons was last modified on Thu, 20 Aug 2026 18:50:16 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Ed Vitz, John W. Moore, Justin Shorb, Xavier Prat-Resina, Tim Wendorff, and Adam Hahn.

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