Question

How will you convert ethane to ethanol? Give the equation.

Answer 1

Conversion of Ethane to Ethanol:

1. Ethane$\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\right)$ on reaction with Iodine$\left({\mathrm{I}}_2\right)$ in UV light undergoes substitution reaction giving Ethyl iodide$\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{I}\right)$
2. The reaction can be as indicated below:

$\underset{\left(\mathrm{Ethane}\right)}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Iodine}\right)}{{\mathrm{I}}_2\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}\stackrel{\mathrm{UV}\mathrm{light}}{\to }\underset{\left(\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{iodide}\right)}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{I}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Hydrogen}\mathrm{iodide})\right)}{\mathrm{HI}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

1. Ethyl iodide on treatment with aqueous Potassium hydroxide$\left(\mathrm{KOH}\right)$ gives Ethanol$\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\right)$.
2. The reaction can be represented by the following equation:

$\underset{\left(\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{iodide}\right)}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{I}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{hydroxide}\left(\mathrm{aq}.\right)\right)}{\mathrm{KOH}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}\stackrel{\mathrm{Boil}}{\to }\underset{\left(\mathrm{Ethanol}\right)}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}+\underset{\left(\mathrm{Potassium}\mathrm{iodide}\right)}{\mathrm{KI}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}$