Hydrogen bonding and solubility trend?

• A. H-bonds decrease the solubility of a compound.
• B. H-bonds have no effect on solubility.
• C. H-bonds only affect melting point.
• D. H-bonds increase the solubility of a compound.

Answer: (D)

Hydrogen bonding with the solvent is a major factor in solubility. When a solid dissolves, its internal forces must be overcome, but if the molecules can form hydrogen bonds with the solvent, new favorable solute–solvent interactions help compensate for the energy cost of breaking the solid’s interactions. This is especially true for water, a highly polar solvent that can donate and accept hydrogen bonds. Molecules that have hydrogen-bond donors (like OH or NH groups) or acceptors (like carbonyls) can interact strongly with water, making dissolution more favorable. So compounds capable of hydrogen bonding with the solvent tend to be more soluble in water, which is why this statement is the best answer.