Which of the following compounds has the lowest boiling point?
A) 2-butanone
B) 2-heptanone
C) 2-hexanone
D) 2-pentanone

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The boiling point of a compound is determined by its intermolecular forces. The higher the intermolecular forces, the higher the boiling point. The molecular weight of all the given compounds is similar, so the intermolecular forces are mainly determined by the presence of dipole-dipole interactions and hydrogen bonding. 2-butanone has a smaller molecular size and therefore has weaker intermolecular forces compared to the other options, resulting in the lowest boiling point.

Which of the Following Compounds Has the Lowest Boiling Point