3.9.4

Elimination Reactions

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Elimination Reactions of Alcohols

So far we’ve seen how we can oxidise alcohols to get aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids. We can also get alkenes from alcohols.

Dehydration

Dehydration

  • Dehydration reactions are just elimination reactions where water is eliminated.
    • The equation in the image shows how we can get an alkene from an alcohol via a dehydration reaction under acidic conditions.
Mechanism of ethanol dehydration

Mechanism of ethanol dehydration

  • Note the action of the acid catalyst.
  • Note how the positively charged alkane collapses to form the alkene in the final step.
The action of the acid catalyst

The action of the acid catalyst

  • The reaction needs an acid catalyst.
    • This catalyst protonates the -OH group to make it easier to eliminate the group.
    • The acid catalyst is reformed when the H+ is lost as the alkene forms in the last step.
Why do this?

Why do this?

  • It turns out that we’re actually pretty good at producing alcohols without using crude oil.
  • This means we can get alkenes without cracking the alkanes from crude oil.
  • This means we can polymerise the alkenes and make polymers without using crude oil.
Jump to other topics
1

Structure - Models of the Particulate of Matter

2

Structure - Models of Bonding & Structure

3

Structure - Classification of Matter

3.1

The Periodic Table: Classification of Elements

3.2

Periodic Trends

3.3

Group 1 Alkali Metals

3.4

Halogens

3.5

Noble gases, group 18

3.6

Functional Groups: Classification of Organic

3.7

Functional Group Chemistry

3.8

Alkanes

3.9

Alcohols

3.10

Halogenoalkanes

4

Reactivity - What Drives Chemical Reaction?

5

Reactivity - How Much, How Fast & How Far?

6

Reactivity - The Mechanisms of Chemical Change

7

Measurement, Data Processing & Analysis

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