Name: Preparation of Alcohols
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 4 min 43 s
Description: Alcohol is a psychosomatic drug and it is bad for health if consumed. However, it is a useful organic solvent in chemistry labs. Tune in to learn more about...

Question

Concentrated sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid can also be used to catalyse the dehydration of an alcohol. The alcohol and concentrated acid are heated to about 170 °C. The concentrated acid does not change chemically during the reaction.

Write an equation showing the dehydration of ethanol using concentrated sulfuric acid.

Accepted Answer

Alcohols can also undergo elimination reactions in which water is lost and alkenes are formed. As the small molecule removed from the alcohol molecule is H₂O, this reaction is also known as dehydration.

Equation showing the dehydration of ethanol using concentrated sulfuric acid:

${CH}_{3} {CH}_{2} OH \overset{conc . H_{2} {SO}_{4}}{\to} {CH}_{2} = {CH}_{2} + H_{2} O$

Concentrated sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid can also be used to catalyse the dehydration of an alcohol. The alcohol and concentrated acid are heated to about 170 °C. The concentrated acid does not change chemically during the reaction. Dehydration of ethanol using concentrated sulfuric acid, will produce ethene and water.

Lawrie Ryan and Roger Norris Solutions for Chapter: Alcohols, Esters and Carboxylic Acids, Exercise 8: Question

Lawrie Ryan Chemistry Solutions for Exercise - Lawrie Ryan and Roger Norris Solutions for Chapter: Alcohols, Esters and Carboxylic Acids, Exercise 8: Question

Questions from Lawrie Ryan and Roger Norris Solutions for Chapter: Alcohols, Esters and Carboxylic Acids, Exercise 8: Question with Hints & Solutions

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