Queequeg said:My organic chemistry textbook says that ethers generally have higher boiling points than alkanes because of dipole-diole interactions
Ethers typically have a lower boiling point than alkanes due to their weaker intermolecular forces. Ethers have dipole-dipole interactions, while alkanes only have London dispersion forces.
As the length of the carbon chain increases, the boiling point of alkanes also increases. This is because longer carbon chains have more surface area, allowing for stronger London dispersion forces between molecules.
Branched alkanes have a lower boiling point because their branching reduces surface area and therefore weakens the London dispersion forces between molecules.
The presence of double or triple bonds in ethers and alkanes decreases their boiling point. This is because double and triple bonds disrupt the ability of molecules to pack tightly and form strong intermolecular forces.
No, the boiling point alone cannot be used to identify a specific ether or alkane. Other factors such as molecular weight, functional groups, and isomers must also be taken into consideration.