Question

Write the structural formula of ethanol. What happens when it is heated

with excess of conc. H2

SO4

at 443 K ? Write the chemical equation for the

reaction stating the role of conc. H2

SO4

in this reaction.

Answer 1

When ethanol is heated with conc. H2SO4, at 443K, ethanol gets dehydrated to give ethene.
C2H5OH(l) + H2SO4 (conc)---------> H2C=CH2(g) +H2O(l)
Concentrated H2SO4 acts as a dehydrating agent, water is taken up by conc. sulphuric acid.