Which of the following compounds can form H-bonding with each other ? — Chemical Bonding Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

Step 1: Recall that hydrogen bonding between two different substances requires one to have a hydrogen bonded to a highly electronegative atom (F, O, N) and the other to have an electronegative atom with available lone pairs. Step 2: Acetic acid (CH3COOH) has an acidic hydrogen bonded to oxygen and lone pairs on its oxygen. Water (H2O) also has hydrogens bonded to oxygen and lone pairs on oxygen. Step 3: They can easily form strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds with each other, which matches option (a).