Question

On treatment with dilute ${H_2}S{O_4}$, ethene forms ethanol.
Is the above statement true?
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

Hint: In order to the question, by the alkene hydration process, we can check whether the above statement is true or false. and then discuss how ethanol forms by the reaction between ethane and hydrochloric acid.

Complete answer:
When ethane reacts with dilute sulphuric acid, it forms ethanol. All alkene react with dilute sulphuric acid and give alcohols. This is a hydration reaction. A water molecule is added through double bonds and may give primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols. Ethanol from ethene and steam Ethanol can be manufactured by the hydration of ethene. In this reaction, ethene (which comes from cracking crude oil fractions) is heated with steam in the presence.
When alkene reacts with dilute sulphuric acid, sometimes it gives single alcohol and sometimes it gives a mixture of alcohol products. But in a given alcohol product mixture, one alcohol composition is very large. That alcohol is given according to the Markovnikov rule.
Ethene has only two carbon atoms and it is a symmetrical molecule too. Therefore we do not need to apply the Markovnikov rule to decide, where hydrogen and OH parts are added. Hydrolysis of ethene gives ethanol as the only product and it is a primary alcohol.
$ C{H_2} = C{H_2}\xrightarrow{{dilute{H_2}S{O_4}}}C{H_3}C{H_2}OH \\
    \\ $

Hence, the correct option is (A). True.

Note:
Dilute sulfuric acid acts as a catalyst in hydrolysis of alkene. The above reaction is known as Alkene Hydration which is decided by Markovnikov Rule.
Three steps are involved in the mechanism of hydration of ethene to yield ethanol. (1) The electrophilic attack of hydronium ion protonated ethene to form carbocation. (2) Water (as a nucleophile) attacks carbocation. (3) Deprotonation gives ethanol.