most acidic most basic

[tRNA]

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why is tert-butyl alcohol the most basic out of these 3 compounds:
ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol

the stability of the conjugate base is what we look at to judge acid/base strenghth, correct? and this stability is enhanced by resonance or electron donating groups on the anion, since none of them have resonance we look at the electron donating groups and we find that the anion of the tert-butyl alcohol will have the most electron donating effect from the alkyl groups so it should be the most stable weakest base of the 3 compounds leading to the strongest acid (least basic) of all the 3 compounds if we reprotonate it, so I don't understand why tert-butyl alcohol is listed it as the most basic ???

 

[a1pha]

Think you just mixed it up a bit... the electron donating effect of alkyl groups results in increased basicity while electron withdrawing groups result in increased acidity. Obviously the inverse would be true for each as well.

 

[Electrons]

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Resonance is not the only factor. You got inductive factor too.

most basic = most unstable.

unstable (destabilized) anion = stronger base (more neg charged aka e-)
stable anion = weaker base (less neg charged aka e-). Think of it like it got what it needs, so it stops grabbing e- from others.

On the t-bu conjugate anion is already unstable, but now you got 3 EDG throwing more e- at ya (than the other ones you listed), so it made it more unstable than the ever, thus more basic.