Question

Name Structure 1) ethanol (ethyl alcohol) State (s), (0) H2O Notes CH-CH2-OH Sol., Insol CH4 Sol., Insol. IS Is I No change 2) t-butyl alcohol (2-methyl-2- propanol) CH CH3-C-CH3 1 Is Is I No change OH 3) n-hexyl alcohol (1-hexanol) CH3CH,CH,CH,CHCH2-OH 4) dodecanol 5) 1,6-hexanediol CH CH CH CH CHCH OH ОН 6) decanoic acid Part A) save sample for part B OHS Insols decanoic acid Part B) changed to sodium decanoate after rxn with NaOH After adding the NaOH to the water solubility sample as directed, record your results below. The decanoic acid became soluble when added with water but insoluble when added in hexane

Answer 1

1. A) According to the data, it is clear that an alcohol with a small hydrocarbon portion is more likely to be soluble in water than an alcohol with a large hydrocarbon portion.

B) From the data it can be predicted that methyl alcohol will be readily soluble in water. Methyl alcohol is the lowest member of the alcohol series with just one carbon atom in its hydrocarbon chain. According to the observations alcohols  with smaller hydrocarbon chains are more soluble in water.

Solubility of lower alcohols with smaller hydrocarbon chain in water is because of the formation of hydrogen bonds between highly polarized -OH groups present both in alcohols and water.

C) Hexane would be a better solvent for cholesterol than water. In cholesterol molecule, number of carbon atoms is as high as 27 and the molecule is non-polar.  It has only very slight solubility in water which is a polar solvent. Hexane being a non-polar solvent would dissolve cholesterol..