Ethanol can be prepared more easily by which reaction?(i) CH3CH2Br + ...
Heavy metal ions, particularly Ag
+, catalyse S
N1 reaction because of presence of empty orbital.
Ethanol can be prepared more easily by which reaction?(i) CH3CH2Br + ...
The correct answer is option 'B' - ethanol can be prepared more easily by the (ii) reaction: CH3CH2Br + Ag2O (in boiling water) → CH3CH2OH.
Explanation:
Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is a commonly used alcohol that can be prepared by the reaction of an alkyl halide with water or by the reaction of an alkyl halide with a metal oxide in the presence of water.
(i) CH3CH2Br + H2O → CH3CH2OH
This reaction involves the substitution of the bromine atom in CH3CH2Br with a hydroxyl group from water. It is a nucleophilic substitution reaction. However, this reaction is relatively slow and requires high temperatures and the presence of a strong base.
(ii) CH3CH2Br + Ag2O (in boiling water) → CH3CH2OH + AgBr
In this reaction, the alkyl halide CH3CH2Br reacts with a metal oxide (Ag2O) in the presence of boiling water. The metal oxide acts as a base and facilitates the substitution of the bromine atom with a hydroxyl group. The resulting product is ethanol and a precipitate of silver bromide.
Comparison:
- Ease of preparation: The (ii) reaction is more easily prepared compared to the (i) reaction. The use of a metal oxide as a base in the (ii) reaction allows for faster and more efficient conversion of the alkyl halide to ethanol.
- Reaction conditions: The (i) reaction requires high temperatures and the presence of a strong base to proceed at a reasonable rate. In contrast, the (ii) reaction can be carried out at boiling water temperature, which is relatively mild.
- Reaction rate: The (ii) reaction proceeds at a faster rate compared to the (i) reaction. The presence of a metal oxide as a base enhances the nucleophilic substitution reaction, resulting in a higher reaction rate.
Overall, the (ii) reaction is a more efficient and convenient method for the preparation of ethanol compared to the (i) reaction.