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Another quick question - solubility in terms of polarity

I dont really understand why the fact that a hydrocarbon cant form hydrogen bonds with water stops them being soluble. Besides, I would have thought water could form bonds with a hydrocarbon!
Reply 1
Avatar for Kyri
Kyri
15
Hydrogen bonding is the most stable way that water can interact with other molecules. If you put something in there that water can't hydrogen bond to, then it will prefer to hydrogen to bond to other water molecules instead, hence whatever you put in won't dissolve. Water doesn't hydrogen bond to hydrocarbons because the C-H bonds aren't anywhere near polar enough.
lefneosan
I dont really understand why the fact that a hydrocarbon cant form hydrogen bonds with water stops them being soluble. Besides, I would have thought water could form bonds with a hydrocarbon!


Hydrogen bonds only exist between water molecules and either Nitrogen, Oxygen and Fluorine.

A hydrocarbon chain doesn't contain any of these.
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lefneosan
OP
1
Thanks you both. Everyone here is so helpful!

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