Alcohol Chemistry

Uses:

Alcoholic drinks (ethanol) Solvents Fuels

Introduction

Are a family of organic compounds containing the OH (hydroxyl) functional group

Draw the FSF and write molecular formulae for: 1. Methanol 2. 2-methylpropan-1-ol 3. 2-methylbutan-2-ol

Naming practice
H H C H H H C H H C H C C H C H H C H H C H H

H O H C HH H C H H

3 - ethyl , 4 - methylheptan - 4 - ol

A homologous series

A family of compounds with the same general formula, similar chemical properties and a graduation in physical properties

ALCOHOL: Any compound containing the -OH group

ALKanols: Subset based on alkanes

Alcohol

H H H C C H H OH

The chemical name for alcohol is ETHANOL: Ethanol is NOT a carbohydrate. Alcoholic drinks are made by fermenting sugar (glucose):
Drink Beer Carbohydrate Barley

% alcohol 3-6

Cider
Wine Whisky Vodka

Apples
Grapes Barley Potatoes

7 10
10 14 35 45 35 - 45

Fermentation

Alcohol is made from sugar The process is called FERMENTATION:

Glucose Alcohol + Carbon dioxide

An ENZYME is needed to make this reaction happen - Zymase YEAST (a living organism) contains the enzyme which is needed

Making Ethanol
(C6H10O5)n starch
Enzymes released during germination

C6H12O6 glucose
Enzyme maltase in yeast

Enzyme zymase in yeast

C2H5OH + CO2 ethanol

C12H22O11

maltose

FERMENTATION

Practical

Burning 5 note

Practical demo

Alcohol Rocket

Collect a copy of Thats the Limit booklet

Thats the Limit 1

How much beer contains the equivalent alcohol to one glass of wine? How much beer contains the equivalent alcohol to a single whiskey? Pint for pint, which contains more alcohol, beer or cider? What are the recommended weekly units of drink for men and women? Which organ is chiefly responsible for removing alcohol from the body? List 3 factors which affect how you are affected by alcohol.

Thats the Limit 2

How long would it take your body to remove the alcohol consumed by 4 pints of beer? What is the legal driving limit in terms of units of alcohol? If you started drinking at 8pm, and consumed on average 2 pints every hour until 12pm, how long would it take you to be below the legal limit for driving? Explain what causes a hang-over. State 3 long-term effects of excessive alcohol consumption.

Alcoholic Drinks
Drink Beer Cider Carbohydrate Barley Apples % alcohol 3-6 7 10

Wine
Whisky Vodka

Grapes
Barley Potatoes

10 14
35 45 35 - 45

At alcohol concentrations above 15 %, the yeast are poisoned and the enzymes do not work.
Fermentation therefore stops.

Distillation

To produce drinks with a high alcohol concentration, DISTILLATION must be carried out.

cold water out mixture from fermentation

cold water in distilled ethanol

'anti-bumping' glass beads

Alternative method?

Fermentation is too expensive to produce ethanol on an industrial scale Catalytic hydration of ethene is method used
H3PO4 catalyst 300oC & 70 atmospheres

Ethene + water

Ethanol

C2H4 + H2O
H H H C

C2H5OH
H H H C C H H OH

H
+

C H

OH

The reverse process

mineral wool soaked in ethanol aluminium oxide catalyst rolled in mineral wool ethene

This is called DEHYDRATION

Chemistry of dehydration
+
Ethanol Ethene water

H C H C H C H H

H H C H

H C H

H O C H

C H

NAME?
+

H C H H

H O

H H C H C H C H

H C H H

NAME?

Practice

Draw the FSF for the product(s) of hydration of the following alkenes: 3-methylpent-1-ene 2-methylbut-1-ene 2-methylbut-2-ene
Which of the following compounds will produce isomers on dehydration? Hexan-3-ol Heptan-3-ol 2-methylbutan-1-ol