Question

In one industrial synthesis of ethanol, ethane is first dissolved in `95%` sulphuric acid. In the second step, water is added and the mixture is heated. Outline the reaction involved.
Strategy: Alkyl hydrogen sulphates are easily hydrolyzed to alcohols by heating with water.

Answer 1

`CH_(2)=CH_(2)underset(H_(2)SO_(4))overset(95%)rarrunderset("Ethyl hydrogen suphate")(CH_(3)CH_(2)OSO_(2)OH)underset(Delta)overset(H_(2)0)rarrCH_(3)CH_(2)OH+H_(2)SO_(4)`