Question

Which intermolecular force is most important for vanillin? For vanillyl alcohol? Why is the melting point for vanillyl alcohol so much higher than that of vanillin?

Answer 1

Answer – We know the structure of vanillin and it contain the aldehyde, methoxy and -OH group on the benzene ring, so it has hydrogen bonding is important intermolecular force, since there is -O-H which form the H- bonding.

We know the structure of vanillyl alcohol and it contain the -alcohol, methoxy and -OH group on the benzene ring, so it has also hydrogen bonding is important intermolecular force, since there are 2 -O-H which form the H- bonding.

In the vanillyl alcohol there are two -O-H group and they more strong hydrogen bonding than vanillin and vanillin has only one side for hydrogen bonding, so melting point for vanillyl alcohol so much higher than that of vanillin.