How will you convert:

Methanol to ethanoic acid



Explanation: The structure of methanol is CH3OH. To convert methanol to ethanoic acid (the number of carbon atoms is increasing from one carbon atom to two carbon atoms) we need ethanenitrile and we can get ethanenitrile from methyl chloride.


Note: If the number of carbon atoms is increasing, we need a nitrile group and if the number of atoms is decreasing, we need an amide group (Hoffman Bromamide reaction)


Step 1: Convert methanol into methyl chloride


Methanol (CH3OH) reacts with thionyl chloride (SOCl2) or PCl5 or PCl3 to form methyl chloride (CH3Cl) by the replacement of OH group by Cl atom.


Step 2: Convert methyl chloride into ethanenitrile


Methyl chloride (CH3Cl) reacts with ethanolic NaCN/ KCN to form ethanenitrile (CH3CN) by the removal of NaCl / KCl


Step 3: Convert ethanenitrile into ethanoic acid


Ethanenitrile (CH3CN) undergoes hydrolysis to form ethanoic acid (final product) which has one carbon atom more than the ethanenitrile.


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