Is glycerol more soluble in water or ethanol?
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We normally meet glycerol as a rather syrupy colourless liquid, much more viscous than water or alcohol. ... These three OH groups can bind to other hydroxyl groups, either in water molecules – which makes glycerol very soluble in water – or by hydrogen-bonding with other glycerol molecules.
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In ethanol a hydrogen bond is formed between the oxygen of ethanol and one H-atom of water. It is also believed that ethanol is associated through internal H-bonding between their molecules and this is encouraged by the +I effect of the alkyl group of the alcohol which transfers the electronegativity towards the H- of -OH group.
It is also found that solubility decreases with increase of molecular weight. There are three types of forces which determine the extent of solubility of a solute in a solvent - solute-solute solvent-solute and solvent-solvent. If the solute-solvent attractive force is greater than the other two, the solute remains in solution.
In ethanol, the force overcomes the force as compared to glycerol where +I effect of alkyl group is absent. Thus, the later is more soluble in water than the former.
It is also found that solubility decreases with increase of molecular weight. There are three types of forces which determine the extent of solubility of a solute in a solvent - solute-solute solvent-solute and solvent-solvent. If the solute-solvent attractive force is greater than the other two, the solute remains in solution.
In ethanol, the force overcomes the force as compared to glycerol where +I effect of alkyl group is absent. Thus, the later is more soluble in water than the former.
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