TITLE: CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ETHANOL

AIM
The purpose of this experiment is to study some of the reactions of ethanol, a typical primary
alcohol

MATERIALS
1) Distilled water
2) Test tube
3) Ph paper
4) Ethanol
5) 100 ml round flask
6) 1 M sulphuric acid
7) Wide-steamed fnnel
8) Sodium dichromate (VI)
9) Anti-bumping granules
10) Condenser and Plastics Joint Clamp
11) Heater
12) Fehling’s solution 1
13) Fehling’s solution 2
14) Silver nitrate
15) Boiling tube
16) Sodium hydroxide
17) Aqueous ammonia
18) Concentrated sulphuric acid
19) Universal indicator paper
20) Sodium carbonate solid
21) Iodine solution
22) Forceps
23) Glacial ethanoic acid
24) Sodium carbonate solution

INTRODUCTION
PROCEDURE
A. Solubility in water
1. 1cm of distilled water was poured into test tube and 1cm of ethanol was poured and
shaked gently. The result was noted in Table 5.
2. Ph paper was immersed into the mixture and matched the colour developed on the ph
paper to the standard colour printed on the ph paper box. The measured ph value was
recorded

B. Mild oxidation
1. 10cm3 of 1M of sulphuric acid was poured into 100ml round flask. A small wide-
steamed funnel was used to add 3.0g of sodium dichromate (VI) and 2-3 anti
bumping granules.
2. The flask was swirl gently until all the sodium dichromate (VI) has dissolved.
3. 5 cm3 of ethanol was added slowly and swirled to be mixed.
4. The apparatus was ste up as shown below

5. 2-3 cm3 of liquid was heated gently until distilled has over.
6. The disstilate was kept and tested in the following ways:
I. Smelled cautiously (compared to ethanol)
II. 1 cm3 of distillate was transferred to a test tube. 1 cm3 of Fehling’s solution
was added followed by 1 cm3 of Fehling solution 2. Boiled gently.observation
was noted in table 5
III. 5 cm3 of silver nitrate was poured in a boiling tube. One drop of sodium
hydroxide solution was added. Drop by drop, aqueous ammonia solution was
added until the precipitate disappeared. 5-6 drops of distillate was added and
heated the solution above the Bunsen burner until the solution boils.
Obervation was noted.
C. Further Oxidation
1. 10 cm3 of 1M sulphuric aicd was poured into a pear-shaped flask. Through a wide
steamed funnel, 5g of sodium dichromate (VI) and 2-3 anti bumping granules was
added.
2. The flask was swirl gently until all the sodium dichromate (VI) has dissolved.
3. 2 cm3 of concentrated sulphuric was added with care
4. The flask was cooled using running tap
5. The apparatus was setup in fume cupboard
6. 1 cm3 of ethanol was added drop by drop down the condenser.
7. Boiled gently under reflux for 20 minutes
8. The equipment was rearranged
9. 2-3 cm3 was disttiled
10. The distillate was tested as follows :
I. Smelled cautiously
II. A drop of moistened universal indicator paper was added
III. A few granules of solid sodium carbonate was added

D. Triidomethane (iodform) reaction

1. 5 drops of ethanol and 1 cm3 ofiodine solution mixed in a test tube.
2. Sodium hydroxide added drop by drop until the brown colour almost disappears
3. Observation noted
E. Reaction with sodium
1. A dry test tube was rinsed with 1 cm3 of ethanol three times before 1 cm3 of ethanol
was pored into the test tube.
2. A 1mm cube sodium was picked up using forceps and oil was removed from its
surface on filter paper. By using the same forceps the bigger cube was chopped into
smaller pieces. The sodium was dropped into ethanol.
3. The glass window was pulled down, the test tube was placedbehind the glass window
and the reaction was observed.
4. After the reaction completed, the ethanol was poured in the test tube together with the
solid formed in the test tube onto a watch-glass and left in the fume cupboard and
allowed to evaporate.