What is the major product of dehydration of an alcohol?
I believe it is an alkene.
The major product of the dehydration of an alcohol is an alkene. Dehydration occurs when an alcohol molecule loses a water molecule (H2O) to form a double bond between the carbon atoms originally bonded to the hydroxyl group (OH). This reaction is commonly carried out in the presence of a strong acid catalyst, such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which assists in removing the hydroxyl group.
To determine the major product of the dehydration reaction, you need to look at the structure of the alcohol and follow a few steps:
1. Identify the alcohol: Determine the alcohol you are starting with. For example, let's consider the dehydration of ethanol (CH3CH2OH).
2. Remove the hydroxyl group: Remove the hydroxyl group (-OH) from the alcohol molecule. In the case of ethanol, this would result in the removal of one hydrogen (H) and one oxygen (O).
3. Form the double bond: Once the hydroxyl group is removed, the two carbon atoms where the hydroxyl group was originally attached now have an unsaturated bond, forming a double bond (C=C). For ethanol, this results in the formation of ethene (CH2=CH2) as the major product.
It is important to note that minor side products, such as ethers or carbocations, may also be formed during the dehydration of alcohols. However, the major product is typically the alkene.