Alcohols and Ethers

Question 1

3 ways alcohols can be prepared

Answer 1

Heating monohaloalkane under reflux with aqueous sodium or potassium hydroxide - nucleophillic substitution.
Hydration of alkenes - acid catalysed.
Reduction of aldehyde or ketones. Forming primary and secondary alcohols respectively.

Question 2

Alcohols can react with …… to form ……. x4

Answer 2

Reactive metals to form alkoxides (redox or displacement)
Aluminium oxide or sulfurique acid to form alkenes (elimination or dehydration )
Carboxylic acids to form esters (condensation or esterification)
Oxidising agents to form ketones, aldehydes or Carboxylic acids

Question 3

Ether description

Answer 3

Can be regarded as a substituted alkane where a hydrogen has been replaced with an alkoxyl functional group O-R (R = rest of chain).

Question 4

General structure for an ether

Answer 4

R-O-R’

Question 5

How to name alkoxyl group

Answer 5

Same as an alkane except suffix is oxy not ane (so propane is propoxy)

Question 6

How to name ethers

Answer 6

Identify shortest chain. This is the alkoxy group. Identify where this group bonds onto the longer chain (what carbon) If number one no number if not put 2- (example) then name of alkoxy group then name of long chain.
Eg 2-ethoxypropane

Question 7

Ether properties

Answer 7

Low boiling points (no hydrogen bonding between ethers).
Smaller ethers are soluble in water longer ones are not (can have hydrogen bonding onto them).
Volatile and highly flammable.
Used as solvents.

Question 8

How are ethers prepared?

Answer 8

Reflux in a haloalkane with an alkoxide. Nucleophillic substitution reaction