C10 - Organic reactions

• Functional groups:

  • Alkenes - C=C
  • Alcohols - -OH
  • Carboxylic acids - C=O-O-H
• Formations:

  • Alkenes - cracking
  • Alcohols - fermentation
  • Carboxylic acids - oxidising alcohols
• Uses:

  • Alkenes - forming polymers, chemical feedstock
  • Alcohols - ethanol used in alcoholic drinks, some used as solvents for substances that don't dissolve in water, common in perfumes, aftershaves and mouthwashes
  • Carboxylic acids - ethanoic acid used in vinegar
• Combustion - alkenes:

  • Complete combustion produces carbon dioxide and water
  • Incomplete combustion produces carbon monoxide and water, and a smoky yellow flame
  • Both types of alkene combustion release less energy per mole than alkanes
• Combustion - alcohols:

  • Efficient fuels, combust easily
  • Burn with a blue flame
  • Produce carbon dioxide and water (complete combustion)
• Combustion - carboxylic acids

  • They can undergo combustion, but we do not generally use them as fuel
• Alkene reactions:

  • Addition with halogens - the two atoms from the halogen molecule are added across the carbon=carbon double bond
  • Addition with hydrogen - the two atons from the hydrogen molecule are added across the carbon=carboon bond to form an alkene
  • Addition with steam - react with steam at high pressure in the presence of a catalyst to form alchohols
• Alcohol reactions:

  • Reactions with sodium - hydrogen released, the product is an alkoxide
  • Oxidisation - react with oxydising agents to form carboxylic acid
• Carboxylic acid reactions:

  • React with bases to form salts
  • React with alcohols and a catalyst to form water and esters
• Alkenes - unsaturated hyrdrocarbons
• Homologous series - a group of organic compounds that are similar in structure with the same functional group that react in a similar way
• Addition reactions in alkenes form saturated molecules (they contain a single bond)
• Alkene + hydrogen (with catalyst) = alkane
• Alkenes react with steam to form alcohols
• Alcohols oxidise to form carboxylic acids
• The general formula for alcohols is Cn2n+1OH
• Ethanol can be produced two ways:

  • Reacting with steam at high pressure with a catalyst
  • Fermenting sugar and yeast at room temperature in slightly acidic conditions for a few days (CO2 is also produced)
• Carboxylic acid + metal carbonate = salt + carbon dioxide + water
• Ethanoic acid + copper carbonate = carbon dioxide + water + copper ethanoate
• Carboxylic acid + alcohol (with an acid catalyst) = ester + water
• Caryboxylic acids react with alcohol to produce esters
• Esters have the functional -COO