The polarity between hexane and ethyl acetate
is related to whether the molecular charge distribution is uniform or not. If the charge distribution is uneven, the polarity will occur. Let's discuss the polarity difference between hexane and ethyl acetate.
Hexane is an alkane compound. Its molecular structure is based on a carbon chain, and the carbon atoms are connected by a single bond, and hydrogen atoms are attached to it. In this structure, the electronegativity difference between carbon and hydrogen is small, and the electron cloud distribution is relatively uniform. And the hexane molecule is a symmetrical chain structure, and the overall charge distribution tends to be uniform. Therefore, the polarity of hexane is very weak, which can be called a non-polar solvent.
In contrast, the molecular structure of ethyl acetate contains ester groups. In the ester group, the carbon atom of the carbonyl group (C = O) is connected to the oxygen atom by a double bond, and the oxygen atom has strong electronegativity and large ability to attract electrons, resulting in a partial electron cloud of the carbonyl group being biased towards the oxygen atom, showing a stronger polarity. At the same time, the ethoxy group (-OCH ² CH 🥰) connected to the carbonyl group also affects the molecular polarity. Therefore, the molecular charge distribution of ethyl acetate is uneven, and the polarity is stronger than that of hexane.
In summary, the polarity of hexane is weak, and the polarity of ethyl acetate is relatively strong. This difference in polarity has an important impact on many chemical processes, such as extraction, separation chromatography, etc. Only by knowing the difference in polarity can we make good use of it for the purpose of experiment and production