Synthesis of Alcohols by Hydration of Alkenes Chemistry Tutorial
Key Concepts
- Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons.
- The double bond (C=C) is the active site on the molecule.
- Hydration of alkenes is an addition reaction.
- Water adds across the alkene's double bond in the hydration reaction.
- This addition follows Markovnikov's rule.
(the H+ of H2O goes to the C atom that has the greatest number of H atoms)
- Hydration of alkene reactions are used to produce industrial ethanol from ethene.
- General equation for the hydration of an alkene:
word equation: alkene + water H+
→alkanol chemical equation: R- C = C -R' |
H|
H+ H-O-H H+
→H
|O
|-H
R- C - C -R' |
H|
HH+ represents a dilute, strong acid such as dilute sulfuric acid.
R and R' represent hydrogen (H) or alkyl groups (alkane chains).