4.3 - Alcohols Flashcards
How are alcohols produced from a haloalkane?
Heating under reflux is heating method where a condenser is used to stop gas vapour from the reagents escaping.
The mechanism is nucleophilic substitution.
What are the 2 methods of producing alcohols from nucleophilic substitution?
Hydroylsis - haloalkane + water
With dilute alkali - haloalkane + NaOH-
Both under reflux, essentially the same but hydrolysis is slower
What is the reactivity series for the haloalkanes?
Most reactive
c-f
c-cl
c-br
c-I
Least reactive
Why are primary alcohols the main yield?
The production of alkenes.
What does the reduction of aldehydes and ketones result in?
- aldehydes and ketones can be converted back into primary and secondary alcohols
- reduction is the loss of oxygen or the gain of hydrogen
eg ethanal + hydrogen - ethanol
What does reduction of an aldehyde result in?
A primary alcohol
What does the reduction of a ketone result in?
A secondary alcohol
What 2 chemicals are used for the reduction of carbonyls?
- lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4)
- sodium borohydride (NaBH4)
They are used as reducing agents.
What are the conditions for reducing carbonyls?
LiAlH4 is a very strong reducing agent whch reacts dangerously with water producing huge quantities of hydrogen gas. It needs to be dissolved in dry ethoxyethane, or dry ether
NaBH4 is not as powerful a reducing agent but will still react with water unless its alkaline.
Compare the boiling point of alkanes and alcohols.
Alcohols have a higher boiling point than alkanes of a similar size due to the hydrogen bonding which occurs between molecules.
When can combustion of alcohols occur?
Complete combustion occurs in an adequate supply of oxygen
c2h5OH + 3O2 - 2CO2 + 3H2O
ethanol + oxygen - carbon dioxide + water
How can alcohols be converted back into halogenalkanes?
Addition of hydrogen halides
c2h5OH + HX - c2h5x +h2o
What are the 3 substitution reactions for ethanol and chlorine, and what does it produce?
- add PCl3 (=H3PO3)
- add PCl5 (=POCl3 + HCl)
- add SOCL2 (SO2 +HCl)
Produces white steamy fumes
What are the 2 subsitution reactions for bromine and ethanol?
c2h5OH + HBr = C2H5Br + H2o
Either hydromic acid is used or generated with 50%/50% mix of NaBr and conc H2SO4 which generates the HBr
2NaBr + H2SO4 = 2HBr + Na2SO4
3C2H5OH + PBr3 = 3C2H5I + P(OH)3
Phosphorus trihalide is generated from its elements
2P + 3Br2 = 2PBr3
What is the substitution reaction for iodine and ethanol?
3C2H5OH + PI3 = 3C2H5I + P(OH)3
Phosphorus trihalide is generated from its elements
2P + 3I2 = 2PI3