2007-01-20 11:19:03 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Ethanol is a covalent compound, so it does not dissolve into ions in aqueous solution. Instead, the polar ethanol molecules are solvated by water -- that is, they're surrounded by shells of polar water molecules. Ionic compounds like salts (NaCl, e.g.) are ionized in water.
To be completely accurate, ethanol does indeed ionize to a very slight degree in water. Specifically, the hydrogen of the hydroxyl group in ethanol does ionize in a very small fraction of the ethanol molecules. The fraction of ethanol molecules ionized in water is described by the acid dissociation (Ka) constant of ethanol. The pKa of ethanol is 15.9 -- a very small amount of ionization.
2007-01-20 11:34:32 · answer #1 · answered by Intrepyd 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, ethanol is a molecular compound. It is however polar due to the OH (alcohol) component.
2007-01-20 11:23:29 · answer #2 · answered by reb1240 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋