Hydrogen bonding of n-alcohols of different chain lengths

Abstract

The anesthetic potency of n-alcohols exhibits a somewhat irregular dependence on the length of the hydrocarbon chain. An attempt has therefore been made to ascertain if this is related to the relative tendency for hydrogen bond formation by these alcohols. No such relationship was found. The result was rather that the degree of association by hydrogen bond formation of dissolved alcohols appears to be independent of the chain length, that is of the extent of other interactions that exist in these solutions.