Question

Why is isopropyl alcohol soluble in water?

Answer 1

Hint: The ability of a solid, liquid, or gaseous chemical substance called a solute to dissolve in a solid, liquid, or gaseous solvent is known as solubility. The physical and chemical characteristics of the solute and solvent, as well as temperature, pressure, and the presence of additional chemicals (including variations in pH) in the solution, all influence the solubility of a material. The saturation concentration of a material in a given solvent is the point at which adding more solute does not raise the concentration of the solution and begins to precipitate the excess quantity of solute.

Complete answer:
Isopropyl alcohol is a flammable, colourless chemical molecule with a strong odour (chemical formula $ C{{H}_{3}}CHOHC{{H}_{3}} $ ). The simplest example of a secondary alcohol is an isopropyl group connected to a hydroxyl group, in which the alcohol carbon atom is bonded to two additional carbon atoms. It's a structural isomer of ethyl methyl ether and 1-propanol.
Because it can establish strong hydrogen bonds with water, isopropyl alcohol is soluble in water. The solubility of an alcohol in water is determined by a competition between two components of the molecule: the nonpolar hydrocarbon portion and the polar OH group.
To produce a solution, the molecule must push the water molecules apart, breaking their hydrogen bonds in the process. The energy generated when water establishes hydrogen bonds with the alcohol OH group compensates for the energy required to break hydrogen bonds in water.
The alkyl part of the molecule, on the other hand, must separate the water molecules without releasing any energy. In isopropyl alcohol, establishing hydrogen bonds at the OH "head" releases more energy than breaking them by the alkyl "tail." In all quantities, isopropyl alcohol is soluble in water.
The alkyl group outweighs the OH group if it has more than six carbon atoms, and the alcohol becomes "insoluble" in water.

Note:
Isopropyl alcohol dissolves a variety of non-polar substances. In comparison to ethanol, it also evaporates fast, leaves almost no oil residues, and is generally non-toxic when compared to other solvents. As a result, it's frequently used as a solvent and cleaning fluid, particularly for dissolving oils. It is one among the alcohol solvents, along with ethanol, n-butanol, and methanol.