Thermal Behavior of <i>n</i>-Octanol and Related Ether Alcohols

The thermal behavior of <i>n</i>-octanol and related ether alcohols has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The melting point, heat of fusion, and isobaric heat capacities of <i>n</i>-octanol obtained from the DSC measurements are in good agreement with literature values. The ether alcohols display kinetic barriers for forming a solid phase during cooldown. These barriers are least for 6-methoxyhexanol that forms a solid upon cooling except for the highest measured temperature change rate of 40 K·min^-1, followed by 4-propoxybutanol that forms a solid during cooldown only at low cooling rates. 2-Pentoxyethanol and 5-ethoxypentanol form a solid during the heating cycle that then melts again upon further heating. 3-Butoxypropanol does not display any exo- and endothermic features for all measured temperature change rates. Consequently, new data on melting point and heats of fusion are reported for the ether alcohols except for 3-butoxypropanol. New isobaric heat capacities are presented as well for the liquid phase of these ether alcohols.