ALCOHOLS & PHENOLS PPT

Properties of Alcohols and Phenols The structure around O of the alcohol or phenol is similar to that in water, sp3 hybridized Alcohols and phenols have much higher boiling points than similar alkanes and alkyl halides A positively polarized ⎯OH hydrogen atom from one molecule is attracted to a lone pair of electrons on a negatively polarized oxygen atom of another molecule This produces a force that holds the two molecules together These intermolecular attractions are present in solution but not in the gas phase, thus elevating the boiling point of the solution