alcohols

• oxidation reactions
• oxidation of alcohols form carboxylic acids
• colourless solutions that dissolve in water to form neutral solutions
• potassium (VI) dichromate is an oxidising agent for alcohols
• • Ethanol can undergo oxidation in three different ways:
  • Combustion
  • Aerobic oxidation
  • Treatment with an oxidising agent
• alcohols contain the functional group -OH
• microbes can do oxidation without potassium dichromate and without heat = microbial reaction
• ethanol can be made by:

  • burning in air or oxygen (complete combustion)
  • reaction with oxygen in the air to form ethanoic acid (microbial oxidation)
  • heating with potassium dichromate in dilute sulfuric acid to form ethanoic acid
• alkenes and steam for ethanol:

  • double bond breaks from heat from steam
  • one hydrogens bonds with a carbon
  • an OH bonds with other carbon
  • uses phosphoric acid (catalyst) and heat
• alcohol general formula: Cn H2n+1 OH
• colourless liquids that dissolve in water = form neutral solutions
• first four alcohols commonly used as fuel
• methanol + ethanol used as solvents = can dissolve many substances water cannot like fats and oils
• combustion of ethanol:

  • alcohols go through combustion to form carbon dioxide and water
  • burns with nearly invisible blue flame
  • burns with no smell