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why is water more acidic than alcohol---C2H5OH?

pl. ans.very imp.

Ethanol is an alcohol. Alcohols, in general are weaker acids than water. This is because the OH group in alcohols is less polar than the OH group in water. The electron releasing nature of the R group in alcohols decreases the polarity of the OH bond, leading to decrease in acid strength of alcohols. As a result, water is a better proton donor than alcohol. Also, the alkoxide ion is a better proton acceptor than the the hydroxide ion, suggesting that the alkoxides are stronger bases.

Thus, ethanol is a weaker acid than water. 

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Ethoxide ion is a stronger base than hydroxide ion. Thus ethanol is a weaker acid than water. It is true for all alcohols except methanol, which is slightly more acidic than water.

Comparing methoxide and hydroxide ions, O is attached to a CH3 group in one and H in the other. CH3 allows greater surface area for the minus charge to be accommodated than H. This is true for only this case. 

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