Ethanol Equation With Chemical Reaction

The Equation of Reaction of Ethanol is a combination of all Ethanol Reactions from the preparation of Ethanol, through the Production of Bio-diesel to all chemical reactions due to its chemical Properties; as represented bellow.

Ethanol is either prepared for industrial use or for consumption. While Industrial Ethanol is produced from Ethene (C₂H₅) or Food-grade Ethanol is produced from plant source by the process of Fermentation.

Industrial Preparation of Ethanol

One Molecule of Ethene undergoes an additional reaction with steam to form one molecule of Ethanol as follows:

C₂H₅ + H₂O → C₂H₅OH

Food-grade Ethanol Fermentation

This is done by Yeast fermentation of Glucose. The Glucose is usually a product of the hydrolysis of larger Carbohydrate Molecules like Starch and Sucrose. In the case of Sucrose, two Enzymes are responsible for the formation of Ethanol.

1. Invertase

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ →2C₆H₁₂O₆

And Zymase breaks down one Glucose Molecule to two Ethanol Molecules and one Carbon (IV) Oxide Molecule.

2. Zymase

C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₅OH + CO₂

Esterification

Ethanol reacts with organic Acids (Alkanoic Acids) to form an Ester (Alkanoate) in a process known as Esterification.

C₂H₅OH + CH₃COOH → CH₃COOC₂H₅ + H₂O

Biodiesel

The reaction of Ethanol with Carboxylic Acid is a typical Biodiesel Model if Fatty Acids (RCOOH) substitutes the short chain Organic Acids. The general reaction would be:

R'OH + RCOOH → RCOOR' + H₂O

Where, R'OH is the Alkanol, in this case, Ethanol.

Ethanol burns with pale Blue Flames during thermal Combustion to Carbon (IV) Oxide, Water and Energy. One Molecule of Ethanol reacts with three Molecules of Oxygen to form two molecules of Carbon (IV) Oxide and three Molecules of Water.

C₂H₅OH + 3O₂ → 2CO₂ + 3H₂O

There are two types of Oxidation of Ethanol: Chemical Oxidation and Biological Oxidation (Bacteria Oxidation). But what ever is the case, both types of Oxidation ultimately give rise to Ethanoic Acid.

In chemical Oxidation, Acidified KMnO₄ [Potassium Tetraoxomanganate (VII)] or K₂Cr₂O₇ [Potassium Heptaoxodichromate (VI)] oxidises Ethanol through Ethanal (CH₃CHO) to Ethanoic Acid (CH₃COOH).

Ethanal is formed in the presence of limited Oxidising Agent as follows:

Ethanal

C₂H₅OH + [O] → CH₃CHO + H₂O

While Ethanoic Acid is obtained in the presence of excess acidified Oxidising Agent. The Ethanoic Acid Formation is simply a further Oxidation of Ethanal to Completion.

Ethanoic Acid

CH₃CHO + [O] → CH₃COOH

Though Tetraoxosulphate (VI) Acid is used to acidify the Oxidation of Ethanol, Concentrated excess H₂SO₄ could dehydrate Ethanol at 170°C to reverse the reaction of Ethanol formation from Ethene and Steam.

Dehydration

Formation of Ethene

C₂H₅OH → C₂H₄ + H₂O

But at a lower Temperature of 140°C and excess Ethanol, the product of Ethanol Hydrolysis is Diethyl Ether (C₂H₅OC₂H₅) and Water rather than Ethene and Water.

Diethyl Ether

2C₂H₅OH → C₂H₅OC₂H₅ + H₂O

Ethanol also has a slightly acidic Characteristic where it react at room Temperature with Sodium Metal (Na) to displace the Hydrogen of the Functional Group (-OH) to form Sodium Ethoxide (C₂H₅ONa) and Hydrogen Ions.

Sodium Ethoxide

C₂H₅OH + Na → C₂H₅ONa + H⁺

Dehydrogenation

Another way of producing Ethanal from Ethanol is by passing it's vapour through Copper that has been heated to 300°C. The reaction also gives rise to the liberation of Hydrogen gas, thus the term Dehydrogenation.

C₂H₅OH → CH₃CHO + H₂

Ethanol also accepts Halogens into its structure. Ethanol forms Ethyl Chloride with both Phosphorus Pentachloride and Hydrochloric Acid.

Halogenation at Room Temperature

Phosphorus Pentachloride reacts with Ethanol at Room Temperature to form Ethyl chloride (C₂H₅Cl).

C₂H₅OH + PCL₅ → C₂H₅Cl + POCL₃ + HCl

While HCl dehydrates Ethanol in the presence of Zinc Chloride (ZnCl) to form Ethyl Chloride and Water.

Halogenation with ZnCl

C₂H₅OH + HCl → C₂H₅Cl + H₂O