Question

An ether is more volatile than an alcohol having the same molecular formula. This is due to 

(a) dipolar character of ethers 

(b) alcohols have resonance structures

(c) inter-molecular hydrogen bonding in ethers

(d) inter-molecular hydrogen bonding in alcohols

Answer 1

(d) inter-molecular hydrogen bonding in alcohols

An ether is more volatile than an alcohol having the same molecular formula. This is due to intermolecular hydrogen bonding in alcohols. In alcohols, H atom is attached to electronegative O atom. Due to this, H atom of −OH group of one alcohol molecule forms a hydrogen bond with O atom of −OH group of the second alcohol molecule. This results in the intermolecular association. It increases the boiling point and decreases the volatility of alcohol. Such inter-molecular hydrogen bonding is not possible in others as in ethers, H atom is not attached to an electronegative O atom.