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How can alcohol be produced from a reaction with CONCENTRATED acid (not acid-catalyzed hydration)?

User MissStack
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Final answer:

Alcohol can be produced through fermentation or an addition reaction with water and ethylene using a catalyst like sulfuric acid. The question implies a non-standard process that may relate to more complex organic synthesis methods involving concentrated acids, typically studied at an advanced level beyond high school.

Step-by-step explanation:

When discussing the production of alcohol from a reaction with concentrated acid, we are referring to a process that does not involve acid-catalyzed hydration but instead might use a direct reaction with acid. One common method for the production of alcohols, like ethanol, is through fermentation; however, this does not use concentrated acids. In a laboratory setting or industrial process, producing ethanol from ethylene involves an addition reaction of water to an alkene, which typically requires a strong acid catalyst such as sulfuric acid (H2SO4). This reaction is known as the acid-catalyzed hydration of alkenes. The direct use of concentrated acid to produce alcohol might involve different mechanisms or reactions, such as esterification or substituting other groups in a molecule with an alcohol group, not commonly taught at the high school level. To gain a comprehensive understanding, further advanced study in organic chemistry would be necessary. If you are looking to discuss mechanisms beyond hydration or fermentation, such as the Fischer esterification or reactions involving the use of strong acids like hydrohalic acids for alcohol synthesis, then a college-level understanding of chemistry is required.

User Imran Raheem
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