Question

What happens when Ethyl chloride is treated with aqueous KOH...?

Answer 1

1)when the reaction is carried out in alcohol,less number of water molecules are available and thus by increasing the chances of attack of hydroxyl ion on beta-hydrogen. 2)However in water,the elimination is not favoured due to formation of water as one of the product.It is according to le Chatelier's principle.Excess of water will shift the equilibrium to the left side. 3)When water is used as a solvent,the likeliness of nucleophilic attack by water as well as hydroxyl ion is more.That leads to formation of nucleophilic subsitituted product.