Question

Explain why propanol has higher boiling point than that of the hydrocarbon, butane?

Answer 1

The boiling point is directly proportional to the intermolecular forces existing in a compound.

In propanol, there is an intermolecular hydrogen bonding and Van der Waal's forces.

Whereas in butane weak van der Waal's force of attraction is the only forces between the molecules. Therefore, propanol has highest boiling point $(391$ $K)$ as compared to that of butane $(309$ $K)$