When ethene is passed into cold concentrated sulphuric acid and the product is then diluted with water and warmed, the compound obtained is

  • A. ethane
  • B. ethanoic acid
  • C. ethanol
  • D. ethanal

Explanation

Ethene adds sulphuric acid to give ethyl hydrogen sulphate, and hydrolysing that with water releases ethanol and regenerates the acid, which is the industrial route to ethanol from petroleum. The modern direct route passes ethene and steam over a phosphoric acid catalyst. Fermentation of sugar is the alternative, renewable route to the same product.

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