1. IC3.29.4 Reactions of alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 Reactions of alcohols

2. IC3.29.4 Reactions of alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 Alcohols react with sodium. The products are a salt and hydrogen. For example: ethanol + sodium  sodium ethoxide + hydrogen 2CH 3 CH 2 OH(l) + 2Na(s)  2CH 3 CH 2 ONa(aq) + H 2 (g)

3. IC3.29.4 Reactions of alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 Water reacts with sodium more vigorously, but makes similar products: 2H 2 O(l) + 2Na(s)  2NaOH(aq) + H 2 (g) water + sodium  sodium hydroxide + hydrogen

4. IC3.29.4 Reactions of alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011  The reactions of sodium with ethanol and with water are similar because both water and ethanol contain an –OH group.  During the reaction, O–H bonds break.

5. IC3.29.4 Reactions of alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 An opened bottle of wine tastes sour after a few days. The sour taste comes from ethanoic acid. Ethanoic acid forms when oxygen from the air oxidises some of the ethanol in the wine. Ethanoic acid is the main acid in vinegar.

6. IC3.29.4 Reactions of alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 You can also oxidise ethanol by  the action of microbes  reacting it with a chemical oxidising agent. The chemical used in this photo oxidises ethanol to ethanoic acid. The colour changes from orange to green in the process.

7. IC3.29.4 Reactions of alcohols © Oxford University Press 2011 1. Name the salt formed when propanol reacts with sodium. sodium propoxide 2.Give two ways by which ethanol can be oxidised to ethanoic acid. Any two of:  exposure to the air  the action of microbes  reacting with a chemical oxidising agent