Butanol and Hydrogen Bonding

[Jack Van Ryan 1A]

Why is it that butanol is capable of hydrogen bonding? When I look at the Lewis structure, I noticed that only H's lie at the end of the molecule rather than F, N, or O?

Thank you!

[Michael Crannell 1H]

I just googled the Lewis structure and found that the oxygen lies between a carbon and hydrogen, therefore allowing it to hydrogen bond. Are you sure you have the write lewis structure?

[Ethan Wang 1L]

There is one hydrogen atom in butanol that is connected to an oxygen atom at the end of the molecule, which is what allows for hydrogen bonding to occur (since O is in the NOF group, and a hydrogen atom bound to one of these three atoms results in the molecule being able to hydrogen bond).

[Rena Wu 3E]

Hi Jack, in the butanol molecule, even though H's lie on the outsides of the structure, there is one H atom bonded to an O atom (which like mentioned above is in the NOF group), which allows for hydrogen bonding from the H to another molecule that also forms hydrogen bonds. Hope this helps!

[Aaron Martinez]

Looking at the butanol structure, while there is a large carbon chain, at the end is an OH. Because of the electronegativity difference, the hydrogen is slightly positive and the oxygen is slightly negative, meaning hydrogen bonds can form.

[Michelle Argueta 1E]

Hi! Using the Lewis structure, you find that the oxygen lies between carbon and hydrogen, allowing a hydrogen bond to be formed with an OH bond at the end.

[Carla Bruebach 1C]

Because of the OH at the end of the chain, the molecule has a slightly positive hydrogen and a slightly negative oxygen. This means hydrogen bonds can form.

[605733348]

You can try to draw the Lewi's structure.