How can alkenes be used to make ethanol?

1 Answer
Sam
Jul 7, 2016

Ethanol is made by the hydration of ethylene in the presence of sulfuric acid #H_2SO_4#

Explanation:

Many simple alcohols, like ethanol, are usually made by the hydration of alkenes in the presence of an acid catalyst.

Ethanol is made by the hydration of ethylene in the presence of a strong acid such as sulfuric acid #H_2SO_4#

The equation below represents the hydration reaction.

Note that the hydration reaction is an addition reaction - a characteristic reaction of alkenes. In the addition reactions, one of the bonds in the double bond (the #pi# bond) is broken. Each of the carbon atoms, which are still attached by a #sigma# bond, can then attach another atom or group of atoms...

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