Acetic acid forms dimers in the gas phase through hydrogen bonding, creating a stable structure, while ethanol does not form dimers due to the absence of functional groups for strong intermolecular attractions.
Acetic acid forms dimers in the gas phase due to hydrogen bonding between the oxygen and hydrogen of separate molecules. This bonding creates a more stable structure. On the other hand, ethanol does not form dimers as its structure lacks the necessary functional groups for strong intermolecular attractions like hydrogen bonding.
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