Write the chemical equations for the preparation of a primary alcohol from a primary amine and from an alkene. Also write the chemical equations for the reactions of a primary alcohol with acetyl chloride and with acetic acid. Write the main uses of ethyl alcohol.

**OR**

Write

Question

Write the chemical equations for the preparation of a primary alcohol from a primary amine and from an alkene. Also write the chemical equations for the reactions of a primary alcohol with acetyl chloride and with acetic acid. Write the main uses of ethyl alcohol.

**OR**

Write the preparation of phenol from chlorobenzene and from aniline. Explain the acidic character of phenol. Write the chemical reactions of phenol with (i) $HNO_3$ and (ii) Zn dust.

Accepted Answer

>

> [!TLDR]
> Ethylamine + $HNO_2$ and ethene + $H_2O/H^+$ both give ethanol; ethanol + acetyl chloride or acetic acid ⇒ ethyl acetate; ethanol is used as solvent, in drinks, as antiseptic and fuel. (This is the main choice of an OR question.)
>
> **(I answer the main stem of the OR question.)**
>
> **Primary alcohol from a primary amine:** an aliphatic primary amine reacts with nitrous acid ($HNO_2$, from $NaNO_2+HCl$) to give the corresponding alcohol with liberation of nitrogen gas:
> $$C_2H_5NH_2+HNO_2	o C_2H_5OH+N_2\uparrow+H_2O$$
>
> **Primary alcohol from an alkene:** acid-catalysed hydration of ethene (a symmetrical alkene, so Markovnikov gives the primary alcohol) yields ethanol:
> $$CH_2=CH_2+H_2O\xrightarrow{H_2SO_4}C_2H_5OH$$
>
> **Reaction with acetyl chloride** (acetylation ⇒ ester + $HCl$):
> $$C_2H_5OH+CH_3COCl	o CH_3COOC_2H_5+HCl$$
>
> **Reaction with acetic acid** (Fischer esterification, reversible, acid-catalysed):
> $$C_2H_5OH+CH_3COOH\xrightleftharpoons[\ ]{	ext{conc. }H_2SO_4}CH_3COOC_2H_5+H_2O$$
>
> **Main uses of ethyl alcohol (ethanol):**
> - as a common **solvent** for paints, varnishes, drugs and perfumes;
> - in **alcoholic beverages**; …

Compound	$pK_a$	Explanation
$\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}$	4.76	Reference (no EWG)
$\text{ClCH}_2\text{COOH}$	2.86	Cl withdraws through one bond
$\text{Cl}_2\text{CHCOOH}$	1.29	Two Cl atoms, stronger withdrawal
$\text{Cl}_3\text{CCOOH}$	0.65	Three Cl atoms, strongest withdrawal
$\text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{COOH}$	4.87	Ethyl group is electron-donating (slightly weaker acid)

Compound	$pK_a$
$\text{ClCH}_2\text{CH}_2\text{COOH}$	4.08
$\text{ClCH}_2\text{CH}_2\text{CH}_2\text{COOH}$	4.52

Compound	pKa	Conjugate base stability
Ethanol	~16	Localized charge on O
Phenol	~10	Delocalized charge via resonance
Acetic acid	~4.76	Even more resonance (two O atoms)

Concept understanding — Acidity Of Phenol

Inductive Effect on Acidity – From Intuition to Precision

The Core Intuition

The Precise Statement

Why Distance Matters

Why this formula?

Acidity of Phenol: Why It's More Acidic Than Alcohols

1. The Core Observation

2. The Key: Stability of the Conjugate Base

The Resonance Explanation

3. Why Alcohols Can't Do This

4. The Inductive Effect Also Helps (But Resonance Dominates)

5. The Quantitative Picture (pKa Values)

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