Alcohols

Alcohols all have the same __, making them a __

• Functional group

• Homologous series

What is the functional group for alcohols?

A carbon single bonded to an oxygen which is single bonded to a hydrogen

The four main alcohols to know are…

• Methanol

• Ethanol

• Propanol

• Butanol

What are the two ways to make ethanol?

• Hydrating ethene (reacting ethene with water)

• Fermentation

What is the advantage of making ethanol by hydrating ethene?

It produces a high yield

What are the two disadvantages of hydrating ethene to make ethanol?

• Takes a lot of energy

• Comes from crude oil, which is non-renewable

How do we use fermentation to make ethanol?

Use a sugar solution mixed with yeast. The yeast will convert the solution into one of ethanol, also producing carbon dioxide

What are two conditions required to make ethanol from fermentation?

• 30 degree temperature

• Anaerobic conditions (without oxygen)

What are two advantages of using fermentation to make ethanol?

• The low temperature means it doesn’t require a lot of energy

• The sugar comes from plants, meaning it is renewable

What is one disadvantage of using fermentation to make ethanol?

The product is an aqueous solution, meaning we need to use distillation, which takes energy.