Arrange the following compounds in increasing order of their solubilities in chloroform: NaCl, CH3OH, cyclohexane, CH3CN
- NaCl < CH3CN < CH3OH < Cyclohexane
- CH3OH < CH3CN < NaCl < Cyclohexane
- NaCl < CH3OH < CH3CN < Cyclohexane
- Cyclohexane < CH3CN < CH3OH < NaCl
Answer
(1) NaCl < CH3CN < CH3OH < Cyclohexane
Solution
Chloroform is a solvent of low polarity, so "like dissolves like": the less polar the solute, the more soluble it is.
NaCl is ionic → least soluble.
CH3CN is highly polar ( 3.9 D); CH3OH is less polar ( 1.7 D) → CH3OH is more soluble than CH3CN.
Cyclohexane is non-polar → most soluble.
Order: NaCl < CH3CN < CH3OH < cyclohexane
Answer: (1)