A new model for predicting boiling points of alkanes

A general perception among researchers is that boiling points, which is a key property in the optimization of lubricant performance, are difficult to predict successfully using a single-parameter model. In this contribution, we propose a new graph parameter which we call, for lack of better terminology, the conduction of a graph. We exploit the conduction of a graph to develop a single-parameter model for predicting the boiling point of any given alkane. The model was used to predict the boiling points for three sets of test data and predicted with a coefficient of determination, R2=0.7516,0.7898 and 0.6488, respectively. The accuracy of our model compares favourably to the accuracy of experimental data in the literature. Our results have significant implications on the estimation of boiling points of chemical compounds in the absence of experimental data.