Chemistry · Grades 10–12

Alcohols and ethers: structure and properties

Compare connectivity and hydrogen-bond donor ability.

Learn the idea

A simple alcohol includes a carbon-bound hydroxyl group.

An ether has an oxygen between two carbon groups, R–O–R′.

An alcohol O–H can donate a hydrogen bond; an ether oxygen can accept but an ether without O–H cannot donate one.

Boiling point and solubility also depend on molecular size and shape; a single functional group is not the whole story.

Its oxygen lies between two carbon groups.

CH₃–O–CH₃.

The hydrogen attached to oxygen can participate as a donor.

Its O–H bond.

Can dimethyl ether accept a hydrogen bond from water in the introductory model?
1. No, oxygen cannot interact with water.
2. Only if it changes to an acid.
3. Yes, through oxygen lone pairs.
How many oxygen atoms are in CH₃OCH₃?
Ethanol and dimethyl ether share C₂H₆O. Why are they different compounds?

Yes, through oxygen lone pairs.
Accepting does not require the ether to have its own O–H bond.
1
The condensed formula has one O between two methyl groups.
They have different connectivity and functional groups.
They are constitutional isomers, not merely different drawings of one connectivity.