What Intermolecular Forces Operate in H₂O and CH₃OH Liquids?

[MacLaddy]

Homework Statement

The question asks to list all the intermolecular forces operating in each of the two liquids.

H_2O
CH_3OH

Homework Equations

N/A

The Attempt at a Solution

I'm mostly getting confused about the London Dispersion Force with water, and London Dispersion Force and Dipole-Dipole with Methanol.

I know that both of these molecules have a Hydrogen Bond, but I can't seem to pinpoint the other forces. I've googled it and seen several people state that water has all three, and methanol has only LDF and Dipole-Dipole. Drawing the lewis dot diagram of these I just don't see how water can have a LDF, and how methanol can have either an LDF or a Dipole-Dipole. Is it because they are asking for it in a liquid state, and they can orient themselves more freely?

Any help is appreciated, or let me know if perhaps I have a concept wrong.

Mac

*EDIT* Just to add to this, CH_3F would appear to me to have an obvious Hydrogen bond, as you have extreme polar opposites from the Electronegative Fluorine on one side of the molecule, and Hydrogen on the other side. However, it seems from what I've found online that this molecule does not have a hydrogen bond. I think I am definitely missing something.

*2nd EDIT* Okay, as for above I see that the Fluorine is not bonded directly with the Hydrogen, so there can not be a Hydrogen Bond. That does not apply to the Methanol though.

 

[babita]

hey hydrogen bond is the force which binds H atom of one molecule with an electronegative atom of another...so H bonding is possible in CH3F,H2O and CH3OH

 

[babita]

i mean to say i don't think that H has to necessarily bonded with an electronegative atom for hydrogen bonding to occur

 

[babita]

And i read somewhere that besides dipole-dipole interaction, all polar molecules can also interact by London forces. And the cumulative effect is that the total of inter molecular forces increase. Though i don't know how :P
Considering above all 3 forces operate in both the liquids.(i think so, i might be wrong)

 

[Borek]

What kind of hydrogens take part in hydrogen bonding? Every hydrogen, or only some?

 

[MacLaddy]

And i read somewhere that besides dipole-dipole interaction, all polar molecules can also interact by London forces.

I think I am starting to see this. It almost seems that all polar molecules and non-polar molecules do have some dispersion force. Hopefully Borek can verify this.

What kind of hydrogens take part in hydrogen bonding? Every hydrogen, or only some?

That's an interesting question, and I'm not sure. I would guess only the Hydrogen atom and not the Ion, as I don't see any mention of hydrogen bonding in an ionic compound.

If you look at the attachment you'll see a flow chart on how my book instructs us to go about it. This chart only shows one force for each molecule though, and I know that there can be more than one.

 

[Borek]

That's an interesting question, and I'm not sure.

Dig deeper then, as you are missing an important piece of information. Hydrogens are definitely not equal.

 

[MacLaddy]

Attempting to use my brain a bit I suppose it has to be the Hydrogen Proton, or H+. Is that correct? Or at least it becomes the Hydrogen Proton after interacting with either N, O, F, or Cl.

I am seeing so much conflicting information online that I think I just need to ask. Does CH_3OH have a Hydrogen Bond, a Dipole-Dipole, and a London Dispersion Force? Because from what I can see I believe it does. At this point I think I can safely say that Oxygen has all three forces.

 

[Borek]

Attempting to use my brain a bit I suppose it has to be the Hydrogen Proton, or H+. Is that correct? Or at least it becomes the Hydrogen Proton after interacting with either N, O, F, or Cl.

It is about the bond and the atom hydrogen is bonded to. Don't waste time on guessing, look in your book, or google for hydrogen bond.

 

[MacLaddy]

Thanks Borek. I don't think I was explaining myself very well. I understand Hydrogen Bonding and why it occurs, I just couldn't conceptualize it. The problem I was having was with the other two forces.

My confusion was coming from how the oxygen atom is tucked between the carbon and hydrogen, at least it appears that way in the Lewis Dot Diagram. I didn't know if the oxygen part of this molecule could have a dipole interaction with other molecules while it was tucked in, so-to-speak.

Since I've asked the question I believe that I have come to understand it better. I've obsessively read my book, watched videos, and googled just about everything I could think of. Nothing was giving me a clear- definitive answer, so I was simply asking.

I appreciate your help, Borek, as always.