Why methanol is more acidic than ethanol?
Answers
This type of compounds are called amphoteric meaning both acid and base. The reason methanol is more acidic than ethanol is because the single bond from the second carbon is electron donating, which will not stabilize the negative charge of the deprotonated form of the alcohol.
Answer:
Methanol is more acidic than ethanol because +I effect in the ethyl group strengthens the O-H bond and thus weakens the acidic character.
Explanation:
The acidity of methanol is higher than that of ethanol. This is due to the fact that in ethanol, a higher alkyl group, namely the ethyl group, is connected to the OH, increasing the electron density on O via the +I effect and thereby strengthening the O-H bond. The acid becomes weaker as the O-H connection becomes stronger.