Question

Write the mechanism of hydration of ethene to yield ethanol.

Answer 1

The mechanism of hydration of ethane to form ethanol involves three steps.

Step 1:
Protonation of ethane to form carbocation by electrophilic attack of H₃O⁺
H₂O + H⁺ → H₃O⁺ 

Step 2:

Nucleophilic attack of water on carbocation:

Step 3:

Deprotonation to form ethanol