Question

Write the chemical equation for the following conversion:

ethanol to ethanoic acid

Answer 1

Step 1:

In the compound, Ethanol $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}\right)$ indicates the alcohol functional group present in the compound.

The reaction of Ethanol with alkaline Potassium permanganate $\left({\mathrm{KMnO}}_4\right)$ solution forms an oxidized product.

Step 2:

The oxidation reaction of Ethanol with alkaline Potassium permanganate solution forms Ethanoic acid $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\right)$ as the major product.

The chemical equation of the conversion of Ethanol to Ethanoic acid is written as:

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{CH}}_2\mathrm{OH}+2\left[\mathrm{O}\right]\stackrel{\mathrm{alk}.{\mathrm{KMnO}}_4}{\to }{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O} \\ \left(\mathrm{Ethanol}\right)\left(\mathrm{Oxygen}\right)(\mathrm{Ethanoic}\mathrm{acid})\left(\mathrm{Water}\right) \end{gathered}$$