Question

why are lower alcohols soluble on water while the higher alcohols are not?

Answer 1

Alcohols are soluble in water. Water molecules and the Hydroxyl present in alcohol form Hydrogen bonds, making alcohol soluble in water. When alcohols have smaller hydrocarbon chains, the solubility increases. With rise in length of the chain, the solubility starts to decrease. This is a reason why lower alcohols are soluble in water while higher ones are not.