Question

Give reason for the higher boiling point of Ethanol in comparison to Methoxymethane.

Answer 1

Hint: As we know that Hydrogen bond is one of the strongest bonds due to which it is hard to break easily. Methoxymethane does not form H-bonding.

Complete step by step answer:
Ethanol \[\left( {C{H_3}C{H_2}OH} \right)\] undergoes intermolecular H-bonding due to the presence of the hydrogen attached to its electronegative oxygen atom. As a result of which, ethanol exists as an associated molecule with it. Therefore, a large amount of energy is required to break these strong hydrogen bonds. Whereas, the methoxymethane\[\;\left( {C{H_3}OC{H_3}} \right)\] does not have H-bonding.
Ethanol is also called alcohol, ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol is a clear colorless liquid and it is the main ingredient in alcoholic beverages like wine, brandy or beer. Because of its soluble properties it can readily dissolve in water and other organic compounds. Ethanol is also an ingredient from personal care and dermis products to metal paints and varnishes to automobile fuel.

Methoxymethane also known as (dimethyl ether) is an organic compound with the formula \[C{H_3}OC{H_3}\]. It is a colorless gas that is one of the useful precursors to other organic compounds and also an aerosol propellant that is currently being used in a variety of fuel applications. It is also an isomer of ethanol.

Additional information:
The hydrogen is attracted to the lone pair so strongly that it is almost as if you were starting to form a coordinate (dative covalent) bond. It's not going that far, but the attraction is significantly stronger than an ordinary interaction between dipole and dipole. Hydrogen bonds have about a tenth of the strength of an average covalent bond, and are constantly being broken in liquid water and reformed.

Note: We must remember that ethyl alcohol and Methoxymethane have the same molecular formula and same number of electrons, also roughly the same size and shape as of ethanol. Apart from these similarities, the structural formulas are different between methoxymethane \[\left( {C{H_3}OC{H_3}} \right)\] and ethanol \[\left( {C{H_3}C{H_2}OH} \right)\].