Limonene vs Vanillin

Limonene vs Vanillin

Limonene:

• Limonene is a chemical compound composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms only.
• It lacks oxygen-hydrogen bonds in its structure.
• Limonene is non-polar in nature, meaning it has a fairly even distribution of charge throughout its molecule.
• The intermolecular forces between limonene molecules are primarily weak London Dispersion Forces (LDFs).
• Due to the weak forces, it requires very little energy to break these LDFs.
• Consequently, limonene has a low boiling point, around 176°C.
• It is highly volatile, meaning it easily transitions from a liquid to a gas at relatively low temperatures.

Vanillin:

• Vanillin, on the other hand, contains oxygen atoms bonded to hydrogen.
• This oxygen-hydrogen bonding imparts polarity to the molecule, making it very polar.
• The intermolecular forces between vanillin molecules are predominantly strong Hydrogen Bonds (H Bonds).
• These H Bonds are much stronger than London Dispersion Forces.
• Consequently, it takes significantly more energy to break the H Bonds in vanillin.
• This results in a higher boiling point for vanillin, approximately 285°C.
• Vanillin is much less volatile compared to limonene due to its stronger intermolecular forces.