The significant difference in boiling points between alcohols and ethers is attributed to the presence of hydrogen bonding in alcohols. Hydrogen bonding increases the intermolecular forces in alcohols, elevating their boiling points compared to ethers.
Explain the large difference in boiling points between alcohols and ethers, and how does hydrogen bonding contribute to the elevated boiling points of alcohols?
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The large difference in boiling points between alcohols and ethers can be attributed to the presence of hydrogen bonding in alcohols. Alcohols have higher boiling points due to the ability of hydrogen atoms in the hydroxyl group to form hydrogen bonds with other alcohol molecules. This intermolecular force is stronger than the dipole-dipole interactions present in ethers. Hydrogen bonding requires the presence of a hydrogen atom directly bonded to a highly electronegative atom, such as oxygen in alcohols. The formation of hydrogen bonds leads to increased molecular attraction, requiring more energy for vaporization and resulting in elevated boiling points for alcohols compared to ethers.