Question

How would you convert (i) ethanol into ethene (ii) propanol into propanoic acid​

Answer 1

1)

At 170°C ethanol can be dehydrated to give ethene by heating it with an excess of concentrated sulphuric acid. This reaction is called hydration of ethane.

2)

Propanoic acid is formed by oxidation of propanol in the presence of alkaline KMnO

4

as:

CH

3

CH

2

CH

2

OH

heat

alkaline KMnO

4

CH

3

CH

2

COOH

Answer 2

Answer:

(1)Ethanol can be dehydrated to give ethene by heating it with an excess of concentrated sulphuric acid at about 170°C. Concentrated phosphoric(V) acid, H3PO4, can be used instead. The acids aren't written into the equation because they serve as catalyst. CH3-CH2OH after dehydration gives -CH2 double bond CH2+H2O

(2)Propanol is converted into propanoic acid by the oxidation reaction. Propanol is oxidised to propanoic acid in the presence of alkaline potassium permanganate solution (alkaline KMnO4). Alkaline potassium permanganate solution acts as an oxidising agent as it adds oxygen to convert propanol to propanoic acid.