NEET 2018 Chemistry question

Carboxylic acids have higher boiling points than aldehydes, ketones and even alcohols of comparable molecular mass. It is due to their

(1)More extensive association of carboxylic acid via van der Waals force of attraction
(2)Formation of carboxylate ion
(3)Formation of intramolecular H-bonding
(4)Formation of intermolecular H-bondingCorrect

Answer: (4)

Solution

Carboxylic acids contain both the C=O group (H-bond acceptor) and the O-H group (H-bond donor) and exist as stable hydrogen-bonded dimers (even in the vapour phase and in non-polar solvents) through intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The larger, more extensive intermolecular association raises the boiling point above that

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Question ID VK-092261