2.7 Alcohols and Carboxylic acids

Question 1

What is generally true about alcohol solubility?

Answer 1

Smaller chain alcohols are miscible in water however they get increasingly more insoluble as chain length increases

Question 2

How is ethanol made? Recall the equation, conditions and mechanism

Answer 2

Addition of steam to ethene in the presence of H3PO4
CH2=CH2 + H2O –> CH3CH2OH
conditions: H3PO4, 300 degrees and 6MPa
mechanism: electrophilic addition

Question 3

Define a primary alcohol

Answer 3

an alcohol where the hydroxyl functional group (OH) is attached to a saturated carbon that’s bonded to only one other carbon atom

Question 4

Define a secondary alcohol

Answer 4

an alcohol where the hydroxyl functional group (OH) is attached to a saturated carbon that’s bonded to two other carbon atom

Question 5

Define a tertiary alcohol

Answer 5

an alcohol where the hydroxyl functional group (OH) is attached to a saturated carbon that’s bonded to three other carbon atom