Question

What happens when Ethanol reacts with Acidified Potassium Dichromate?

Answer 1

1. Potassium Dichromate (${\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7$): It is a strong oxidizing agent.
2. There are two steps involved in the reaction between Ethanol (${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}$) and Potassium Dichromate is given below:
   STEP 1: Ethanol is oxidized to Ethanal.
   ${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}\stackrel{\mathrm{Acidified}{\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}$
   STEP 2: Ethanal oxidized into an Ethanoic acid.
   ${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{CHO}\stackrel{\mathrm{Acidified}{\mathrm{K}}_2{\mathrm{Cr}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_7}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}$

Thus, when Ethanol reacts with acidified Potassium dichromate, Ethanoic acid is formed.