Question

Give an example of the following:
An organic compound which is soluble in water.

Answer 1

Solubility is defined as the ability of the substance or the maximum amount of substance that can dissolve in the solvent at a specific temperature. Solubility of the substance increases with its Ksp value. An organic compound is defined as the chemical compound in which the carbon atom is bonded or linked to other atoms generally hydrogen, nitrogen or oxygen.

Complete step by step answer:
Organic compounds are generally non polar in nature because the commonly linked or bonded atoms in hydrocarbons are carbon and hydrogen which have small differences in their electronegativity value. The electronegativity value for hydrogen according to Pauling scale is 2.2 and for carbon is 2.55. There is no permanent charge difference between the molecules. None of the bonds are polar as they are attached by covalent bonds. Due to these reasons they are insoluble in water, as water is a polar solvent. Water is a polar solvent because it is arranged in bent shape, on one side it has a positively charged hydrogen atom and on the other is oxygen which is negatively charged. Due to this arrangement it allows other molecules to get attracted towards it. The bonds between them are covalent as sharing of electrons takes place.
The organic compound ethanol is soluble in water because water being polar solvent exists hydrogen bonding in it. This means the compound which needs to be dissolved in it should possess polarity or hydrogen bond with it. Ethanol or ethyl alcohol shows the existence of a hydrogen bond in it that is the OH bond of alcohol. This possesses hydrogen bonding and as because of high electronegativity of oxygen it is polar in nature. Hence it dissolves in water.

Note: There are four major organic compounds and they are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleotides. They are generally soluble in organic solvents such as ethyl acetate or diethyl ether. Ethylene glycol is also soluble in water because it has two hydroxyl groups with it which makes hydrogen bond with water, thereby dissolving in it.