Question

Answer the following questions :
(i) Give other two names of ethanol
(ii) Give the structural formula of ethanol
(iii) Give two properties of ethanol
(iv) Explain the action of phosphorous trichloride with ethanol. Write the balanced chemical equation of the above reaction

Answer 1

(i) The two other names of ethanol are alcohol and cologne spirit.
(ii) The structural formula of ethanol is :
$\begin{array}{cccccc}& & H& & H& \\ & & |& & |& \\ H& -& C& -& C& -O-H\\ & & |& & |& \\ & & H& & H& \end{array}$
(iii) Two properties of ethanol are:

• Ethanol is a monohydric primary alcohol. It melts at $-117.3{}^{o}C$ and boils at $78.5{}^{o}C$.
• Ethanol burns in air with a blue flame, forming carbon dioxide and water. It reacts with active metals to form the metal ethoxide and hydrogen, e.g., with sodium it forms sodium ethoxide.

(iv) $PC{l}_3$ reacts with etahnol to give orthophosphorous acid and ethyl chloride.

$PC{l}_3+3C-2H_{5}OH\to H_{3}P{O}_3+3C{H}_{3}C{H}_{2}Cl$