Which of the following is a characteristic of ethers? (2019)
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following is a characteristic of ethers? (2019)
Higher boiling point than alcohols
Lower boiling point than alcohols
Soluble in water
Flammable
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following is a characteristic of ethers? (2019)
Step 1: Understand what ethers are. Ethers are a type of organic compound that contain an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups.
Step 2: Know that boiling point is the temperature at which a substance changes from a liquid to a gas.
Step 3: Learn about hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonding occurs when a hydrogen atom is attracted to an electronegative atom (like oxygen) in another molecule.
Step 4: Compare ethers and alcohols. Alcohols have an -OH (hydroxyl) group that allows them to form hydrogen bonds with each other.
Step 5: Realize that ethers do not have an -OH group, so they cannot form hydrogen bonds like alcohols can.
Step 6: Conclude that because ethers cannot form hydrogen bonds, they generally have lower boiling points than alcohols.