Preparation of Alcohols from Alkenes (Acid-Catalysed Hydration)

Water adds across the C=C double bond of an alkene in the presence of concentrated sulphuric acid to give an alcohol, following Markovnikov's rule -- the -OH group ends up on the more substituted carbon (the one that can support the more stable carbocation intermediate). For example, propylene (CH3-CH=CH2) with H2O/conc. H2SO4 gives propan-2-ol (CH3-CH(OH)-CH3), not propan-1-ol, since the secondary …