Predict The Boiling Point
Chemistry
Level
1
| Compound | Molar mass ( ) | Dipole moment ( ) | Boiling point ( ) |
| cyclopropane | 42 | 0 | 240 |
| dimethyl ether | 46 | 1.3 | 248 |
| acetonitrile | 41 | 3.9 |
Considering the general relationship between dipole moment and boiling point, what is the most reasonable estimate of ?
150
250
350
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1 solution
Within a series of compounds that have similar molar masses, the strength of the intermolecular interactions increases as the dipole moment increases. As intermolecular interactions grow stronger, the molecules in the compound are held more closely together and are less likely to move from the liquid phase to the gas phase. Acetonitrile has the largest dipole moment, so it would be expected to have the highest boiling point as well. The boiling point for acetonitrile is 355 K.