N – pentane has higher boiling point than neopentane but the melting point of neopentane is higher than that of n – pentane.
The surface area and van der waal forces of attraction in neopentane are much less than in n-pentane due to the existence of branches. As a result, neopentane has a lower boiling point than n-pentane. The packing of molecules in the crystal lattice determines M.P. Because neopentane is more symmetrical than n-pentane, it packs significantly closer in the crystal lattice than n-pentane, giving it a substantially higher m.p. than n-pentane.
