Question

How to prepare ethane from ehanoic acid??

Answer 1

This way possibly.

Explanation:

Step 1:

We can reduce the acid by lithium tetrahydrido aluminate in dry ether -diethyl ether- (`LiAlH_4`)to get ethanol.

`CH_3COOH` + 4[H]----> `CH_3CH_2OH` + `H_2O`

(P.S. `LiAlH_4` was represented as [H] to simplify balancing of equations. And this is generally how we represent the action of reducing agents in organic chemistry.)

Step 2:

Ethanol can be dehydrated by heating it with concentrated sulfuric acid or passing its vapors over hot aluminium oxide to get ethene. This is an elimination reaction.

`CH_3CH_2OH` -----> `C_2H_4` + `H_2O`

(P.S. Concentrated sulfuric acid- `H_2SO_4` - or Aluminium oxide - `Al_2O_3` - is used as a catalyst.)

Step 3:

Ethene can be reduced by Hydrogen in the presence of nickel catalyst at 140 degrees Celsius to get ethane. This is also an addition reaction.

`C_2H_4` + `H_2` ----> `C_2H_6`