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What is the pKa of 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol? Is there a reference that contains a list of pKa values for various molecules that I can consult or is there a way to determine/estimate the pKa of this molecule if such a reference does not exist?

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  • $\begingroup$ Do you mean pKa? pH is a property of a solution, and is dependent on both the identity of the solute and the concentration of the solute. pKa is an intensive property of a substance that assesses the relative acidity of that compound. $\endgroup$ – Ben Norris Jan 11 '14 at 13:01
  • $\begingroup$ @BenNorris, I guess I did. I know the relationship between the pKa and pH. I just wondered if there was, for example, a table of known pHs for 1M solutions. I don't particularly need to know a precise pH. I wanted to know if it was acidic or not, and how acidic if so. $\endgroup$ – user2679447 Jan 11 '14 at 13:33
  • $\begingroup$ In addition to the pH vs. pKa confusion, there's also the determine vs. reference problem. Do you want to know of methods that can determine the pKa of a material or do you want a link to where these properties can be found? In any case, please edit your question to reflect what you are interested in learning. $\endgroup$ – bobthechemist Jan 11 '14 at 23:36
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Do you mean 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol?

The $pK_a$ values of 2-propanol (isopropanol) and 2-methylpropan-2-ol (tert. butanol) are 16.5 and 17, respectively and I'd expect your diol to be in this range range, unless deprotonation is featured by intramolecular hydrogen bonding. In that case, the $pK_a$ might be somewhat smaller, around 15.

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