Alcohols and ethers: preparation of alcohols and ethers

Alcohols

Alcohols are prepared by fermentation of sugars, hydration of alkenes or nucleophilic substitution using halogenalkanes

Hydration of alkenes

• Alkanols cn be prepared by acid-catalysed hydrolysis of alkenes
  • The hydrogen atom on the acid catalyst acts as an electrophile which bonds with the alkene (nucleophile) and becomes a carbocation intermediate
  • The oxygen ion on the water molecule acts as a nucleophile by giving an electron to the carbon atom on the other side of the double bond
  • The acid ion (base) bonds with a hydrogen atom on the water molecule and the alcohol is formed
  • This…