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Glycerol, shown below, is a component of triacylglycerols. In which solvent would glycerol be expected to have the greatest solubility

A. Benzene
B. Water
C. Hexane
D. Octane

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Glycerol would have the greatest solubility in water because it can form hydrogen bonds with water due to its three hydroxyl (-OH) groups. The correct option is B. Water.

Step-by-step explanation:

Glycerol is expected to have the greatest solubility in water because it is a polyol with three hydroxyl (-OH) groups, which can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, making it highly soluble in water. On the other hand, benzene, hexane, and octane are nonpolar solvents and would not effectively solubilize glycerol due to the lack of interaction between the polar glycerol molecules and these nonpolar solvents.

The principle of like dissolves like suggests that polar solvents dissolve polar solutes, and this is why glycerol is most soluble in water, which is a polar solvent.

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