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Why do unbranched alcohols stronger that the branched?
Accepted Answer
In general, unbranched alcohols are stronger acids than branched alcohols due to the inductive effect. The inductive effect is the ability of electronegative atoms to withdraw electron density from adjacent atoms. In an unbranched alcohol, the hydroxyl group (-OH) is directly attached to a carbon atom, which is more electronegative than a branched carbon atom. This means that the -OH group can withdraw more electron density from the carbon atom in an unbranched alcohol, making the O-H bond weaker and the alcohol more acidic.
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