[mrlucky0]

Can anyone explain to me why toluene (bp 110) have a higher boiling point than water if H-bonding cannot occur? Clearly, the methyl substituent makes the difference since benzene has a lower BP than water. What is the intermolecular interaction that makes this so? Thanks.

[nj_bartel]

Toluene is actually very slightly polarized, as sp² hybridized carbons are more electronegative than sp³ hybridized carbons.  In addition to that, higher MW than benzene.

[Doom91]

the td id interactions would be much stronger than the hydrogen bonding in water. this is due to the large elctron cloud , eln cloud most easily distorted  , therefore the td id is most easily induced . And in this case, td id interactions is stronger than the h bonding in water, therefore  higher boiling point

[James Newby]

dont think of this as toluene having a high boiling point, its water that is the exception.  If it werent for hydrogen bonding its boiling pont would be very low indeed.  The reason toluene has a high boiling point is that it is a very big molecule (Mw=96).  This means more induced dipole along with the slight permanent dipole.