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QLDChemistryQuick questions
Unit 4: Structure, synthesis and design
Quick questions on Reactions of alcohols and esterification (QCE Chemistry Unit 4)
8short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What are classifying alcohols?Show answer
The oxidation behaviour of an alcohol depends on how many carbons are attached to the carbon bearing the -OH group (the alpha carbon).
What are oxidation of primary alcohols?Show answer
Primary alcohols oxidise in two steps under acidified oxidising conditions (typically acidified potassium dichromate, K2Cr2O7 in dilute H2SO4, or acidified KMnO4).
What are oxidation of secondary alcohols?Show answer
Secondary alcohols oxidise to ketones in a single step. No further oxidation occurs because the next step would require breaking a C-C bond.
What are oxidation of tertiary alcohols?Show answer
Tertiary alcohols are not oxidised by acidified dichromate or permanganate at the conditions used in school laboratories. Oxidation would require breaking a C-C bond, which is unfavourable.
What is hydrolysis of esters (the reverse reaction)?Show answer
Heating an ester with dilute aqueous H2SO4 (or dilute aqueous NaOH) cleaves it back to the carboxylic acid and alcohol.
What is q1?Show answer
Write the balanced equation for the complete combustion of ethanol. [2 marks]
What is q2?Show answer
Describe the oxidation of butan-1-ol with acidified dichromate. State the organic products under (a) distillation and (b) reflux conditions. [4 marks]
What is q3?Show answer
ethanol is refluxed with ethanoic acid; equilibrium yield is ethyl ethanoate. (a) Write the equation. (b) Calculate assuming .