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Chapter 2: Problem 58

Following are structural formulas and heats of combustion of acetaldehyde and ethylene oxide. Which of these compounds is the more stable? Explain. CC=O C1CO1 Acetaldehyde Ethylene oxide \(-1164 \mathrm{~kJ}(-278.8 \mathrm{kcal}) / \mathrm{mol}\) \(-1264 \mathrm{~kJ}(-302.1 \mathrm{kcal}) / \mathrm{mol}\)

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Acetaldehyde is more stable than ethylene oxide.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the given data

We are given the structural formulas and heats of combustion for the following compounds: 1. Acetaldehyde: CC=O, with heat of combustion \(-1164 \mathrm{~kJ}(-278.8 \mathrm{kcal}) / \mathrm{mol}\) 2. Ethylene oxide: C1CO1, with heat of combustion \(-1264 \mathrm{~kJ}(-302.1 \mathrm{kcal}) / \mathrm{mol}\)
02

Compare the heats of combustion

Now, we compare the heat of combustion of both compounds to determine which one has a lower (more negative) value: 1. Acetaldehyde: \(-1164 \mathrm{~kJ/mol}\) 2. Ethylene oxide: \(-1264 \mathrm{~kJ/mol}\) Since the heat of combustion for acetaldehyde is lower (less negative) than for ethylene oxide, acetaldehyde is more stable.
03

Explain the results

The heat of combustion is a measure of the energy released when a compound is burned. A lower heat of combustion indicates that less energy is released, which means the compound is more stable. In this case, acetaldehyde has a lower heat of combustion than ethylene oxide, so acetaldehyde is more stable than ethylene oxide.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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