Arrange the following compounds in increasing order of their boiling points.

CH3CHO, CH3CH2OH, CH3OCH3, CH3CH2CH3

The molecular masses of the given compounds are in the range of 44-66 g/mol. The second molecule, CH3CH2OH contains OH alcoholic group due to which it undergoes extensive H bonding with each other, leading to the association of the molecules. Therefore it has a highest boiling point. In the molecule CH3CHO , there is strong intermolecular dipole-dipole attraction due to presence of -CHO aldehydic group( as H will have partial positive charge and oxygen will have partial negative charge , so there will attraction between molecules),which is weak in case of CH3OCH3 as both CH3 groups have +I effect which results in decrease in electron affinity for the oxygen attached to it( with no partially positive H atom). And in CH3CH2CH3 there are only weak van der Waals forces of attraction. So the compounds in increasing order of their boiling point are:

CH3CH2CH3<CH3OCH3<CH3CHO<CH3CH2OH.


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