Formation of diethyl ether from ethanol is based on a
(a) dehydration reaction
(b) dehydrogenation reaction
(c) hydrogenation reaction
(d) heterolytic fission reaction
Answers
a is the right answer correct
Answer: a) dehydration reaction is the correct answer.
Explanation:
When excess of ethyl alcohol is heated with concentrated sulphuric acid, diethyl ether is obtained.
This is distillation process
Reaction takes place at 413K
Reaction is as follows:
2C2H5-OH=====> C2H5-O-C2H5+H2O
C2H5-O-C2H5 is diethyl ether.
In this reaction, equal amount of alcohol and concentrated sulphuric acid are taken in a distillation flask.
Step 1
The ethyl alcohol reacts with acid to give ethyl hydrogen sulphate
Step 2
Excess ethyl alcohol is added to the flask.
Ethyl hydrogen sulphate reacts with added alcohol to give diethyl ether.
C2H5-SO3H is ethyl hydrogen sulphate.
This is dehydration reaction and also known as continuous etherification reaction.
This method is best suited with the help of primary alcohols.