Question

What happens when the vapour of ethanol is passed over the heated copper catalyst at 573 K?

• A. Acetone will be formed
• B. Acetaldehyde will be formed
• C. Ethanoic acid will be formed
• D. Ethyl ethanoate will be formed

Answer 1

The correct option is B

Acetaldehyde will be formed

When the vapour of ethanol is passed over the heated copper catalyst at 573 K, it is dehydrogenated to acetaldehyde.

$\underset{Ethanol}{C{H}_{3}C{H}_{2}OH}\underset{573K}{\overset{Cu}{\to }}\underset{Acetaldehyde}{C{H}_{3}CHO}+H_2$