Question

Under what conditions does ethanol react with sulphuric acid to produce the colourless gas ethene? Write an equation for this reaction.

Answer 1

• Ethanol (${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}$) is a hydrocarbon in which two Carbon ($\mathrm{C}$) atoms are present and the functional group is Hydroxyl group ($-\mathrm{OH}$).
• We can convert Ethanol to Ethene (${\mathrm{CH}}_2={\mathrm{CH}}_2$) by treating the Ethanol with Concentrated Sulphuric acid (${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4$) at a temperature of $443\mathrm{K}$.
• So, the condition for the Ethanol to react with Sulphuric acid to produce the colorless gas Ethene is the temperature should be $443\mathrm{K}$.
• The chemical reaction is given below:

$\underset{\mathrm{Ethanol}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}}\left(l\right)\underset{443\mathrm{K}}{\overset{\mathrm{conc}.{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }}\underset{\mathrm{Ethene}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_2={\mathrm{CH}}_2\left(g\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$

• The above reaction is also known as Dehydration reaction.