Question

How would you bring about the following conversions? Name the process and write the reaction involved.

ethanol to ethene.

Answer 1

Conversion of Ethanol to Ethene:

• Ethene: It is one of the simplest alkenes, a colorless gaseous organic compound with the chemical formula (${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4$).
• Ethanol: Ethanol is a volatile, flammable, colorless liquid with the chemical formula ${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\mathrm{O}$.
• Ethanol (${\mathrm{CH}}_3-{\mathrm{CH}}_2-\mathrm{OH}$) is formed when Ethene (${\mathrm{CH}}_2={\mathrm{CH}}_2$) is heated at $443\mathrm{K}$ with an excess of concentrated Sulphuric acid (${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$).
• It is called a dehydration reaction.
• The reaction proceeds as follows:

${\mathrm{CH}}_3-{\mathrm{CH}}_2-\mathrm{OH}\stackrel{\mathrm{Conc}.{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_2={\mathrm{CH}}_2+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$

Thus, this is how Ethene is converted into Ethanol.