n-Butane, Propan-1-ol, Propanal, Acetone, Methoxymethane ( increasing order of boiling point)

Question

Arrange the following as indicated 

(a) n-Butane, Propan-1-ol, Propanal, Acetone, Methoxymethane ( increasing order of boiling point) 

(b) Acetaldehyde, Acetone, Acetophenone, (increasing order of reactivity towards nucleophilic addition)

Answer 1

(a) n-Butane < Methoxymethane < Propanal < Acetone < Propan-1-ol 

The boiling points of aldehydes, ketone , ethers are lower than those of alcohols of similar molecular masses due to absence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding

(b) Acetophenone < Acetone < Acetaldehyde 

Aldehydes are generally more reactive than ketones in nucleophilic addition reactions due to steric and electronic reasons. Among the ketones, in acetophenone the positive charge over carbonyl carbon is delocalized, involved in resonance, so its reactivity decreases in comparison to aliphatic ketones