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Organic
AS
Alcohols
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Priya Pahal
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Alcohols can be produced via two main methods:
hydration
and
fermentation
Alcohols contain an
-OH
group and follow the general formula
CnH2n+1OH
Hydration method:
Alcohols are produced from
alkenes
in the presence of an
acid catalyst
Phosphoric acid is commonly used as the
catalyst
under
aqueous conditions
at
300°C
and
high
pressures
Very
high percentage yield
as
ethanol
is the only product, favored as an
industrial
process
Fermentation method:
Enzymes break down
starch
from crops into
sugars
, which are then
fermented
to form
alcohol
Cheaper
than hydration, can be carried out at a
lower
temperature
Fermented in batches,
slower
process with a
lower
percentage
yield
Ethanol
is a common
biofuel
produced in this way, considered
carbon neutral
Alcohols can be
primary
(
1o
),
secondary
(
2o
), or
tertiary
(
3o
)
1o
and
2o
alcohols can be
oxidized
to produce various products, but
3o
alcohols are
not
easily
oxidized
1o alcohols can be
heated
in the presence of
acidified potassium dichromate
and
distilled
to produce
aldehydes
Further
heating
under
reflux
conditions
oxidizes
1o
alcohols
to produce
carboxylic acids
2o alcohols can be
oxidized
when
heated
in the presence of
acidified potassium dichromate
to produce
ketones
Potassium Dichromate
(K2Cr2O7) is used as the
oxidizing
agent in the oxidation of alcohols
It is
reduced
as the alcohol is
oxidized,
observed as a color change from
orange
to
green
Alkenes can be formed from the
dehydration
of alcohols, where a molecule of
water
is
removed
from the molecule
Excess hot
sulfuric
acid
is added, and
aluminum oxide
is used as a
catalyst
H+ acidic ions
are reformed in the reaction, acting as a
catalyst
Addition polymers
can be produced from
fermentation
without the need for
crude oil
, a
nonrenewable
resource