An excess of ethanol heated with concentrated H\(_2\)SO\(_4\) at a temperature of 180\(^{\circ}\)C is dehydrated...
An excess of ethanol heated with concentrated H\(_2\)SO\(_4\) at a temperature of 180\(^{\circ}\)C is dehydrated to give mostly:
- A) ethane
- B) ethene
- C) ethanol
- D) ethoxyethane
Correct Answer: B) ethene
Explanation
When you heat ethanol with concentrated sulfuric acid (H\(_2\)SO\(_4\) at a temperature of 180\(^{\circ}\)C, some of the ethanol molecules will lose a molecule of water (H\(_2\)O) and form a new compound. This process is known as dehydration. The question is asking which compound is formed in excess during this reaction when there is too much ethanol present. The options are ethane, ethene, ethanol, and ethoxyethane. To answer the question, we need to know which compound is formed when ethanol loses a molecule of water. The answer is ethene, which is a colorless gas with a sweet odor. This is because when ethanol loses a molecule of water, it forms a double bond between the two carbon atoms, resulting in the formation of ethene. Ethane, on the other hand, is a saturated hydrocarbon with the molecular formula C\(_2\)H\(_6\). It does not have a double bond between the carbon atoms. Ethanol is the starting compound in this reaction and will not be formed as a product. Ethoxyethane, also known as diethyl ether, is formed by the reaction between ethanol and sulfuric acid, but it is not the major product formed when excess ethanol is used. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is Option B: ethene.