Is CH3CO2H a dipole dipole?

1 Answer
May 29, 2014

The intermolecular forces in CH₃CO₂H are an especially strong type of dipole-dipole force given its own special name — hydrogen bonding.

Hydrogen bonds form when you have a negative O, N, or F atom in one molecule and a positive H atom attached to an O, N, or F atom in another molecule.

Water has strong hydrogen bonds.

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Like water, acetic acid has strong hydrogen bonds. In solid acetic acid, the molecules form cyclic pairs connected by hydrogen bonds.

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Acetic acid melts at 16 °C. Butane, C₄H₁₀, has almost the same molar mass. It melts at -140 °C. The hydrogen bonds cause this enormous difference in melting point.