Q19 of 110 Page 344

Write the mechanism of acid dehydration of ethanol to yield ethene

The mechanism of acid dehydration of ethanol to yield ethane involves three steps:


Step 1:- Protonation of ethanol to form ethyl oxonium ion.



Step 2:- Formation of carbocation (rate determining step).



Step 3:-Elimination of a proton to form ethane



The acid consumed in step 1 is released in step 3. After the formation of ethane, it is removed to shift the equilibrium in a forward direction.


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