Is Acetanilide Polar or Nonpolar?

Acetanilide is a polar compound. A well-established measure of the compound’s polarity is its Log P value. As noted by the Royal Society of Chemistry, considered by many to be the world’s leading chemistry community, acetanilide has a Log P value of 1.16.

Acetanilide has four types of covalent bonds: multiple C-C bonds and C-H bonds; two C-N bonds; one N-H bond; and one C=O bond. According to the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, the C-C and C-H bonds are considered nonpolar, while other bonds are considered polar. However, acetanilide is only slightly soluble in water. The reason for the compound’s relatively low polarity is its aromatic ring; a significant part of the molecule exerts nonpolar characteristics. However, it has an amide functional group, which is considered the most polar of commonly occurring functional groups, according to Elmhurst College.

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