15 - Alcohols Flashcards
What is an alcohol?
The functional group OH attached to a hydrocarbon chain.
What is the general formula of an alcohol?
CnH2n+1OH
What is the suffix for alcohols?
ol
more than one OH group - diol, triol.
What is the melting/ boiling point of alcohols like?
High m.p and b.p compared to alkanes with a similar Mr.
Due to hydrogen bonding between molecules because of the OH group.
What is the solubility of alcohols like?
Short chain alcohols are soluble.
Long chain alcohols are insoluble.
Why are short chain alcohols more soluble in water?
Due to the ability of the OH group to hydrogen bond to water molecules.
Why are long chain alcohols insoluble in water?
Due to the non-polar hydrocarbon chain dominating over the polar OH group.
What is ethanol used for?
As an intermediate in the manufacturing of other organic chemicals.
As a solvent.
What are 2 ways of producing ethanol?
Fermentation
Hydration of ethene.
How does the hydration of ethene work?
Reacts and conditions
Ethene reacts with steam in the presence of a H3PO4 catalyst at high temperature and pressure.
What are the advantages of hydration of ethene?
Fast rate of reaction
Continuous process (efficient)
Ethanol produced is essentially pure.
How does fermentation work?
The carbohydrates from plants are broken down into glucose, which are converted into ethanol by the action of enzymes from yeast. (Anaerobic respiration).
Ethanol distilled from the mixture by fractional distillation.
What are the conditions of fermentation?
Rate affected by temperatures as low temp is too slow but high temp may denature enzymes.
Air kept out to prevent oxidation to ethanoic acid.
What is the formula for ethanol?
C2H5OH
What is the equation for fermentation?
C6H12O6(aq) –> 2C2H5OH(aq) + 2CO2(g)