Solubility - Explain why propanone is soluble in water? Explain why magnesium chloride is soluble in cyclohexane?

1 Answer
Nov 29, 2017

Acetone has a polar functional group in the carbonyl....

Explanation:

....and thus should possess some aqueous solubility, which indeed it does. Acetone is also capable of dissolving ionic salts such as sodium chloride. On the other hand, cyclohexane is a hydrocarbyl solvent, with limited polarity. Magnesium chloride, an ionic solute, would have next to zero solubility in cyclohexane.