79.8k views
2 votes
glycerol, shown below, is a component of triacylglycerols. in which solvent would glycerol be expected to have the greatest solubility?

1 Answer

5 votes

Glycerol would be expected to have the greatest solubility in polar solvents, with water being a primary example.

Glycerol is a polar molecule due to its three hydroxyl (OH) groups. As a general rule, polar substances tend to dissolve better in polar solvents, and nonpolar substances tend to dissolve better in nonpolar solvents. Glycerol is hydrophilic (water-attracting) because of its polar nature.

Therefore, glycerol would be expected to have the greatest solubility in polar solvents, with water being a primary example. Glycerol forms hydrogen bonds with water molecules, making it miscible in water and allowing for a high degree of solubility.

User William Chan
by
8.9k points