Alcohols

Alcohols have a general formula CnH2n+1OH

They are either Primary, Secondary or Tertiary.

To determine which of these the alcohol is, look at whic Carbon the OH group is bonded to.

If bonded to:

• The first Carbon, it is Primary.
• The Second Carbon, it is Secondary.
• The Third Carbon, it is Tertiary.

The OH group in alcohols is polar, this means that it can form hydrogen bonds.

Because the hydrogen bonding is the strongest type of intermolecular force, it gives alcohols a high bioling point.

Alcohols have a relatively low volatility. 

Volatility is the tendency of something to evaporate into a gas.

There are 2 ways to make ethanol:

1. Hydration of ethene

• Requires a H3PO4 catalyst
• 300'C
• 60atm

2. Fermentation of glucose - exothermic

• Warm - 30'C - 40'C
• Yeast
• anareobic conditions
• at 15% ethanol, the yeast dies
• Fractional distilation is used to increase conc of ethanol
• cheap
• low tech
• stll has to be purified

• Alcoholic drinks
• Solvents - Methylated spirits - Ethanol +methanol +purple dye - UNDRINKABLE
• Fuel
• Unleaded petrol

BY DEHYDRATION!!

C2H5OH ---->CH2=CH2 +H2O

DEHYDRATION REACTION

• Acid catalyst - CONC H2SO4 OR CONC H3PO4
• 170'C

PRODUCES ANN ESTHER!!

• warm ethanol with a carboxylic acid and a strong acid catalyst
• forms an esther
• OH bond is broken by a esterification reaction.

ethanol + ethanoic acid ----------------------------->ethyl ethanoate

                                        strong acid catalyst