Chapter 14 Flashcards
why are alcohols less volatile than alkanes?
alcohols form hydrogen bonds between molecules which require more energy to overcome than the London forces in alkanes
why are alcohols very soluble?
alcohols are polar and can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules
this allows it to dissolve in water
what happens to solubility as the hydrocarbon chain increases in an alcohol?
it decreases
the influence of the OH group becomes smaller
what is the oxidising agent in the oxidation of alcohols?
acidified potassium dichromate
colour change during oxidation of alcohols
orange to green
what happens to the dichromate ions during the oxidation of alcohols?
they are reduced
why is distillation used to prepare an aldehyde?
prevents any further reaction with the oxidising agent
