Ethanol(CAS64-17-5) is a common organic compound that can be used as a fuel, a solvent, or a raw material for other chemical reactions. Ethene, also known as ethylene, is another organic compound that is widely used in the industrial production of plastics, synthetic fibers, and rubber. In this article, we will show you how to convert ethanol to ethene using a simple and efficient method.
Step 1: Dehydration of Ethanol
The first step in converting ethanol to ethene is to remove the water molecule from the ethanol molecule. This process is called dehydration and it can be done by heating ethanol with a strong acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid. The reaction is as follows:
$$C_2H_5OH \xrightarrow{H_2SO_4} C_2H_4 + H_2O$$
The product of this reaction is ethene gas and water vapor. The ethene gas can be collected by passing it through a condenser and a drying agent, such as calcium chloride or silica gel.
Step 2: Purification of Ethene
The second step in converting ethanol to ethene is to purify the ethene gas from any impurities, such as unreacted ethanol, water, or acid. This can be done by using a fractional distillation apparatus, which separates the components of a mixture based on their boiling points. The table below shows the boiling points of the main components in the mixture:
| Component | Boiling point (°C) |
|---|---|
| Ethanol | 78.3 |
| Water | 100 |
| Sulfuric acid | 337 |
| Ethene | -103.7 |
As you can see, ethene has the lowest boiling point among the components, so it will be the first to vaporize and rise up the column. The other components will remain in the liquid phase and can be discarded. The purified ethene gas can be collected in a gas syringe or a balloon.
Step 3: Verification of Ethene
The final step in converting ethanol to ethene is to verify that the product is indeed ethene and not some other gas. This can be done by using a simple test called the bromine water test. Bromine water is a yellowish solution that contains bromine, which is a halogen element that reacts with unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as ethene. The reaction is as follows:
$$C_2H_4 + Br_2 \rightarrow C_2H_4Br_2$$
The product of this reaction is a colorless compound called dibromoethane, which causes the bromine water to lose its color. Therefore, if you add bromine water to a sample of ethene gas and observe that the solution turns colorless, you can confirm that the gas is ethene.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to convert ethanol to ethene using three simple steps: dehydration, purification, and verification. This method is easy to perform and produces high yields of ethene. Ethene is an important organic compound that has many applications in various industries. We hope you have learned something new and useful from this article.
Extended Reading
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