The Acidic Environment > 5. Esterification >
Explain the difference in melting point and boiling point caused by straight-chained alkanoic acid and straight-chained primary alkanol structures
- Hydrogen bonding occurs between alkanols (a bond between a hydrogen atom of one molecule and an oxygen atom of a nearby molecule), causing them to have higher melting and boiling points than alkanes of similar molar mass.
- A greater amount of hydrogen bonding occurs between alkanoic acids (two bonds between a hydrogen and an oxygen atom of one molecule and a hydrogen and an oxygen atom of a nearby molecule), causing them to have even higher melting and boiling points than alkanols of the same molar mass.