Nicole Blenkiron The importance of Organic Chemistry in our Everyday Life

Why are crops and plants so important in Organic Chemistry and the continuation of our
current way of life?

PART A: PLANTS

Inquiry Question: What is the main component of plants and how is it produce?

 Describe and draw the main chemical component of plants and the grains that they can produce

The backbone to most components of plants is carbon and hydrogen which form cellulose. This is the main
chemical component in plants.
Cellulose is found in grains such as, seeds, nuts, fruits and vegetables.

Cellulose structural formula -

Cellulose chemical formula - (C6H10O5)n

 Explain how the main component of plants are produced (process)

In the process of producing plants, they go through a step of condensation polymerisation. The term
polymerisation is the process of small molecules (called monomers) combine to create a long chain polymer.
Example when several glucose molecules combine 1to form a starch polymer, starch is a polymer of glucose.
Other examples of natural condensation
polymerisation include cellulose and polypeptide
chains of protein. Condensation polymerisation takes
place through a process of condensation reactions
between monomer units also known as step growth
polymerisation.

A classic step-growth condensation is the reaction between a dibasic acid and a glycol, shown below:

HOOC–(CH2)n–COOH  +  HO–(CH2)m–OH →
HOOC–(CH2)n–COO–(CH2)m–OH  +  H2O

1
 Nicole Blenkiron The importance of Organic Chemistry in our Everyday Life

PART B: PRODUCTION OF ETHANOL

Inquiry Question: How is Ethanol created and how is it important to our everyday lives?

 Explain the process of using glucose to produce ethanol. What conditions are needed for this to
occur?

Conditions needed for the process fermentation from glucose to ethanol -

o Warm temperature, 25-35 Degrees Celsius

o Absence of oxygen

o Presence of beneficial microorganisms such as yeast and bacteria

o Need glucose.

The process of fermentation occurs excluding the presence of oxygen. The yeast acts as a catalyst and
breaks down the glucose to form ethanol and carbon dioxide molecules. Ethanol can then be used to form
crude oil.

Then they use fractional Steam Cracking which happens by cracking

Crude oil is pumped distillation (separation of hydrocarbon feedstocks in the presence of
from the ground. miscible liquids) to extract steam and at temperatures of between 800° and
Purified Natural Gas, NGL, 870°C occurs which releases carbon dioxide and
Butane, Propane and Ethane steam

We then use the Ethylene to produce ethanol

and alcohols. Using an acid catalyst to dehydrate
the hydroxyl group leaving a water molecule The steam is used for product separation
creating ethanol. The other chemicals are also as well as adding hydrogen and methane
used to create other chemicals and products. to create Butene, Propylene and Ethylene

2
Nicole Blenkiron The importance of Organic Chemistry in our Everyday Life

 Ethanol is an important chemical feedstock.

Ethanol as a starting component is used for a variety of important recourses that we use in our
everyday lives. We can find glucose in plants which can then be fermented to ethanol as a
renewable resource, is it also extracted through crude oil after a long process of fractional
distillation and steam cracking. Ethanol as a starting material is vital to a range of resources that are
necessary to our everyday lives

Ethanol has become well known for fuel. Unless your car is diesel you may notice there is an option
to use the 10% ethanol fuel. In Australia ethanol is helped to be produced by fermentation of waste
wheat starch, grain sorghum and molasses. The total capacity of ethanol produced from this
process is around 440 million litres per year. Ethanol fuel has an extent number of positives. This
fuel helps to reduce vehicle emissions, improve the airs quality aiding to decrease pollution in the
air, increase our energy independence and lower the consumers fuel prices. Over 70% of the
population drive cars, and ethanol is an effect and cheaper way of reducing the pollution and
getting from destination to destination.

For other resources well known, such as perfumes, alcohols and cleaning. Ethanol is used as a
starting material to make up the majority components. Perfume is made up of roughing 90%
ethanol, is safe to use on your skin which also means that this resource also acts as a topical agent
to prevent skin infections. As a cleaning product ethanol mixed with water can also assist in
removing tarnishes and kitchen stains. Another common resource produced from ethanol is
alcoholic drinks. Ethanol is the exact same as alcohol, when coming across a drink that’s 100%
alcohol, its pure ethanol. Ethanol is a very common resource which we use a lot of.

So, the overall judgement of ethanol as a starting material is positive. It is cheaper to the
alternative fuel options, is a safe and a multifunctioning starting resource used in a variety of our
world’s supplies.

3
 Nicole Blenkiron The importance of Organic Chemistry in our Everyday Life

PART C: ETHANOL USAGE

Inquiry Question: As our non-renewable fuel resources diminish the importance of ethanol as a biofuel
will increase. In detail compare and contrast ethanol (biofuel) and petrol as sources of energy

Ethanol (Biofuel) Petrol Diesel

Energy release  -4 502.5

KJ/mol (negative sign
demonstrates the  5464 kJ  7 200 kJ
exothermic reaction)
Balanced C12H23 +17.75(O2 +3.76N2)  12CO2 +
combustion C2H6O+3(O2 +3.76N2)  C1.2H4 +2.2(O2 +3.76N2)  11.5H2O + 66.74N2
equation 2CO2 + 3H2O + 11.28N2 1.2CO2 + 2H2O + 8.272N2
Properties  C2H5OH  Feedstock is Crude Oil   A yellow to dark coloured
 Highly soluble in water  Physical properties vary liquid with a petroleum-like
 Boiling Point of 78.5 °C odour
 Melting Point of -114.1  Boiling point 280-340°C
°C  Freezing point -17°C
  Clear and Colourless  Immiscible in water (not
soluble)

Advantages  Cheaper than most
fuels
 Is a renewable resource.
 Doesn’t release as
dangerous air pollution
Disadvantages  Isn’t reliable or healthy.
 Time consuming and
expensive process
 Although not as
dangerous still effect air
pollution
 Cleaner burning than coal
 Can withstand high
temperatures without
breaking down.
 Reduced air pollution
 Produces life threatening
vapour.
 Explosive
 Comes from non-
renewable resource
 Low fuel consumption
 Reliability
 Less flammable
 Nitrogen Dioxide is released
polluting the air.
 Comes from a non-
renewable resource.
 Produces extra smoke

Concluding statement

The overall comparison of Ethanol, Petrol and Diesel overviews they all have their positives and negatives in relation
to air pollution, efficiency and cost. In conclusion Ethanol as a biofuel is although better in aspects of price, less
polluting than the other alternatives, and is a renewable resource, it has its downfalls as extracting the components
to create ethanol is pricey and time consuming, isn’t as reliable or and isn’t completely efficient.

4
 Nicole Blenkiron The importance of Organic Chemistry in our Everyday Life

PART D: FUTURE USES OF ETHANOL

Inquiry Question: What is the process of turning plants to plastics and analyse the effectiveness.

Cellulose is collected from, Using a fermentation process of Lactic acid is then turned too PLA
by-products of agriculture turning cellulose to lactic acid (polylactic acid)
harvesting and waste plants.
Regular plastics made from crude oil, gas and coal are unsustainable, unrenewable,
and unhealthy for the environment. Therefore, a new method has been developing to create environmentally
friendly bioplastics from plants. Considering these bioplastics are made from plant waste this results to them being
able to disintegrate over time benefiting the environment and reducing the pollution levels. Although the process
hasn’t been one hundred percent perfected scientists and research are learning more and perfecting different
techniques to find effect, fast and reliable.

5
Nicole Blenkiron The importance of Organic Chemistry in our Everyday Life

Conclusion

Techniques and research advance, becomes more effective as the world evolves. Scientists have learnt to turn plants
into fuel, everyday resources, and environment friendly plastics. Instead of using unrenewable resources such as
crude oil which expensive and damaging to the environment, the world is slowing growing to adapt to relying on
renewable sources extracting cellulose and sugars from waste plants and turning them into everyday necessities.
This creates an importance of crops and plants to organic chemistry.

Crude oil is the main component to a variety of our current resources. Crude oil is fractionally distilled from the
ground and steamed to create feedstock components whilst contaminating the air. This has an overall negative
effect as crude oil isn’t a renewable resource so whilst it damages our world, it will soon become unavailable.
However due to years of research and experiments scientists have learnt to turn plants and grains into the essential
role crude oil has had. Using left over harvesting crops, by-product plants and other renewable resources, they
extract feedstock chemicals and components then using chemical reactions they ferment it to replace the
unrenewable resource which is crude oil. Adapting us to become dependent on organic chemistry.

As organic chemistry becomes the grounding feedstock to our renewable resources, we also adapt to the changes it
has in our world such as fuel. It is beneficial and healthier in an overall judgement and as our world grows to learn
more and create other resources from plants and grains.