How does the hydration of ethene produce ethanol?

The hydration of ethene involves the addition of water to ethene under specific conditions to produce ethanol.

The hydration of ethene to produce ethanol is a significant industrial process in the production of alcohol. This process is carried out under high pressure (about 60-70 atmospheres) and high temperature (about 300°C). A phosphoric acid catalyst is also used to speed up the reaction.

The reaction can be represented as follows:

C2H4(g) + H2O(g) → C2H5OH(l)

In this reaction, ethene (C2H4) is a gas that reacts with steam (H2O) to produce ethanol (C2H5OH), which is a liquid. The double bond in the ethene molecule breaks, and the atoms of the water molecule add across the broken bond. The hydrogen atom from the water molecule attaches to one of the carbon atoms, and the OH group attaches to the other carbon atom, forming ethanol.

This process is an example of an addition reaction, which is a common type of reaction in organic chemistry. In an addition reaction, two or more molecules combine to form a larger one. In this case, the ethene molecule and the water molecule combine to form a larger ethanol molecule.

The hydration of ethene is a crucial process in the chemical industry, as ethanol is a versatile compound used in a wide range of applications, from alcoholic beverages to fuels and solvents. Understanding this process is fundamental for students studying IGCSE Chemistry, as it provides a practical example of how addition reactions work in organic chemistry.