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Steam

Chemistry: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 11.6.4

Hydration of Ethene

Ethanol can be produced by an acid-catalysed reaction between ethene and steam.

Conditions

Conditions

  • Ethene is produced by fractional distillation and the cracking of long-chain alkanes.
  • We can produce ethanol when we react ethene and steam in the following conditions:
  • With phosphoric acid as a catalyst
  • Temperature of 300°C
  • 6000kPa/60 atm pressure
Equation

Equation

  • The equation for the reaction is:
  • C2H4(g) + H2O(l) ⇌ C2H5OH(g)

Test yourself on Steam

  • What conditions are needed to produce ethanol when we react ethene with steam?

  • What is the chemical equation for the hydration of ethene to produce ethanol?

  • What catalyst is used in the reaction between ethene and water to produce ethanol?

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