Question

How is ethene prepared from ethanol? Give the reaction involved in it.

Answer 1

Ethene is prepared from ethanol by heating it at 443 K with excess concentrated sulphuric acid. 

`underset("(ethanol)")("C"_2"H"_5"OH")overset("Conc"."H"_2"SO"_4)(->)underset("(ethene)")("CH"_2 = "CH"_2) + "H"_2"O"`

The concentrated sulphuric acid acts as a dehydrating agent which removes water from ethanol.