Question

(i) write the equation for the complete combustion of ethane

(ii) Using appropriate catalysts, ethane can be oxidized to an alcohol, an aldehyde and an acid. Name the alcohol, aldehyde and acid formed when ethane is oxidized.

Answer 1

(i) The reaction for the combustion of Ethane is given below:

$2\underset{\mathrm{Ethane}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{7{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\stackrel{∆}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{carbon}\mathrm{dioxide}}{4{\mathrm{CO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{6{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

(ii) Ethane can be oxidized as follows:

(1) When a mixture of Ethane$\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\left(\mathrm{g}\right)\right)$ and oxygen in the ratio 9:1 by volume is compressed to about 120 atm pressure and passed over Copper tubes at 475K, Ethyl alcohol$\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\right(\mathrm{aq}\left)\right)$ is formed.

The reaction is given below:

$2\underset{\mathrm{Ethane}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\hspace{0.17em}\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\underset{\mathrm{Cu}-\mathrm{tubes},475\mathrm{K}}{\overset{120\mathrm{atm}}{\to }}2\underset{\mathrm{Ethanol}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}$

(2) When a mixture of Ethane and Oxygen is passed through heated Molybdenum monoxide ($\mathrm{MoO}$), the mixture is oxidized to Ethanal$\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\right)$.

The reaction is given below:

$\underset{\mathrm{Ethane}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\hspace{0.17em}\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\stackrel{\mathrm{MoO}}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Ethanal}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\hspace{0.17em}\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$

(3) When a mixture of Ethane and Oxygen is passed through Manganese based compound, the mixture is oxidized to Ethanoic acid.

The reaction is given below:

$2\underset{\mathrm{Ethane}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}+\hspace{0.17em}\underset{\mathrm{Oxygen}}{3{\mathrm{O}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\stackrel{\mathrm{Mn}\mathrm{compound}}{\to }2\underset{\mathrm{Ethanoic}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\hspace{0.17em}\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{2{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$