Chemical Properties of Ethanol

Some of the chemical properties of ethanol include combustion, oxidation, dehydration, esterification, and reaction with sodium metal, which are explained as follows:

Combustion of Ethanol

The liquid ethyl alcohol is extremely flammable. It easily catches fire and begins to burn. It quickly burns in the air, producing carbon dioxide and water vapor as well as a large amount of heat and light.

C₂H₅OH (Ethanol) + 3O₂ (Oxygen) → 2CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) + 3H₂O (Water Vapour) + Heat + Light

Oxidation of Ethanol

Controlled combustion is referred to as oxidation. Ethyl alcohol is oxidized to ethanoic acid when heated with an alkaline potassium permanganate solution of acidified potassium dichromate solution(or any other strong oxidizing agent).

To perform this reaction, dropwise add a 5% aqueous potassium permanganate in sodium hydroxide solution to ethyl alcohol until the purple color of the potassium permanganate solution no longer exists. Ethyl alcohol is oxidized to ethanoic acid when the test tube holding ethyl alcohol and alkaline potassium permanganate solution is gently warmed in hot water.

This reaction, which is carried out in the presence of an alkaline potassium permanganate solution, is given below.

CH₃CH₂OH (Ethanol) + 2[O] (Nascent Oxygen) → CH₃COOH (Ethanoic Acid) + H₂O (Water)

Dehydration Reaction: Ethanol

Dehydration refers to the loss of water molecules from alcohol. When ethyl alcohol is heated to 170⁰C with excess concentrated sulfuric acid, it dehydrates to generate ethene. The concentrated sulphuric acid acts as a dehydrating agent, removing water molecules from the ethyl alcohol molecule in this reaction. At 170⁰C, this reaction takes place in the presence of concentrated H₂SO₄.

CH₃CH₂OH (Ethanol) → CH₂=CH₂ (Ethene) + H₂O (Wtaer Vapour)

Ethanol: Reaction with Sodium

Sodium ethoxide and hydrogen gas are formed when ethyl alcohol reacts with sodium. This reaction is used to detect the presence of ethyl alcohol.

2C₂H₅OH + 2Na →  2C₂H₅O^–Na⁺ + H₂

Esterification Reaction: Ethanol

When the Alcohal group reacts with carboxylic acid, the product of this reaction is ester, which is why it is called esterification. The reaction of Ethanol with Ethanoic acid is one example of esterification, i.e., when ethyl alcohol is heated in the presence of a few drops of strong sulphuric acid, it combines with ethanoic acid to form ethyl ethanoate, a sweet-smelling ester. Esterification is the reaction in which a carboxylic acid reacts with an alcohol to form an ester.

C₂H₅OH (Ethanol) + CH₃COOH (Ethanoic Acid) → CH₃COOC₂H₅ (Ethyl Ethanoate) + H₂O (Water Vapour)

Ethanol also called Ethyl Alcohol is a commercially important organic compound. It is the second member of the alcohol family and is used for a variety of purposes. It is sometimes also called Alcohol and it is used by humans for consumption. Ethanol is also represented as, EtOH. Ethanol is the IUPAC name of Ethyl Alcohol. Ethanol is also called Grain Alcohol. The general properties of Ethanol are added below,

In this article, we will learn about, Ethanol, the chemical formula of Ethanol, its structure, its physical and chemical properties of Ethanol, and its uses of Ethanol in detail.