Phenol (molecular mass ) boils at , whereas toluene (molecular mass ) boils at only . Which specific — Alcohols Phenols and Ethers Chemistry Question
Question
Phenol (molecular mass $94 \text{ g/mol}$) boils at $182^\circ\text{C}$, whereas toluene (molecular mass $92 \text{ g/mol}$) boils at only $110^\circ\text{C}$. Which specific intermolecular force is primarily responsible for this difference?
Answer: C
💡 Solution & Explanation
The boiling point of phenol is much higher than that of toluene (a hydrocarbon of comparable mass) due to the highly polar $O-H$ bond in phenol. This allows phenol molecules to form strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds with one another.
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