Question

Describe two methods of preparation of ethylene. Explain with equations, the reactions of ethylene with the following : (a) Hydrogen halide (b) Cold, dil, all. KMnO4

Answer 1

Treatment of alkenes with cold, dilute basic KMnO4 leads to 1,2-diols (vicinal diols).



Notes:

The reaction proceeds with “syn” stereochemistry of the alkene, meaning that the two alcohols end up on the same side of the alkeneAlso note that osmium tetroxide (OsO4) does exactly the same reaction.

Examples:



Notes: The reaction works well so long as it is kept cold. If higher temperatures are used, cleavage of the diol to give carbonyl compounds is observed. Note that the reaction does not occur with alkynes.

Mechanisms: Potassium permanganage adds to one face of the alkene through a cycloaddition reaction (Step 1, arrows A, B and C) to give a cyclic manganese compound (“manganate ester”). The manganate ester is then reduced with NaHSO3 or KHSO3 and hydrolyzed to the diol through a very long process that is excruciatingly boring to write out and generally not bothered with in Org 1/ Org 2



Notes: The boring part goes something like this: water attacks Mn, transfer proton to O, break Mn–O bond, then add second equivalent of water to Mn, transfer proton to O, break Mn–O bond. This gives the free diol.

 

Answer 2

Answer: (b) ethylene glycol

Explanation:

CH2=CH2 + H2O +(O) ------------ CH2-CH2

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OH OH