Question

What happens when ethanal is treated with excess ethanol and acid?

Answer 1

When ethanal reacts with excess ethanol and acid gives acetal.

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{.......}\ce{CH3}\phantom{.........................}\ce{CH3}\phantom{....}\ce{OC2H5}\\
\phantom{....}\backslash\phantom{..........................}\backslash\phantom{..}/\\
\ce{= O + \underset{(excess)}{C2H5OH} ->[H^⊕]}\\
\phantom{....}/\phantom{..........................}/\phantom{..}\backslash\\
\phantom{.........}\ce{H}\phantom{.........................}\ce{H}\phantom{.....}\ce{OC2H5}\\
\end{array}\]