Final answer:
Electrophilic addition with sulfuric acid is not the preferred method for alcohol production because it leads to dehydration of the alcohol to form an alkene instead. Sulfuric acid acts as a dehydrating agent and promotes the removal of water molecules from the alcohol.
Ethanol, for example, undergoes dehydration to form ethylene and water when treated with excess concentrated sulfuric acid at high temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The use of electrophilic addition with sulfuric acid is not the preferred method for the production of alcohol because it results in the dehydration of the alcohol to form an alkene. Sulfuric acid is a strong acid and a dehydrating agent, meaning it promotes the removal of water molecules from a compound.
In the case of alcohols, sulfuric acid can remove a water molecule from the alcohol to form an alkene, rather than producing the desired alcohol.
For example, when ethanol is treated with excess concentrated sulfuric acid at 180 degrees Celsius, it undergoes dehydration to form ethylene, an alkene, and a side product of water:
Ethanol --(excess concentrated H₂SO₄, 180°C)--> Ethylene + H₂O