91Ó°ÊÓ

In acid-catalyzed condensation, the first step is the acidic proton abstraction of acid by oxygen and converts OH into the water, which is a good leaving group.The second step involves the attack of carbocation by alcohol, and by neutralization reaction, we get an ether compound.

In acid-catalyzed condensation of n-propyl alcohol, the first step is the abstraction of acidic proton of acid by oxygen which converts the hydroxyl group into the water, a good leaving group. Then, the second molecule of n-propyl alcohol attacks carbocation, which is generated after the removal of water and lastly, the neutralization reaction, which stabilizes the positive charge on oxygen and n-propyl ether, gets formed.

Acid-catalyzed condensation of n-propyl alcohol

The formation of propene occurs at higher temperatures during acid-catalyzed condensation of n-propyl alcohol, and this is because, as temperature increases, the entropy term becomes important. As the number of molecules increases, entropy also increases. In ether formation, entropy is small due to no net change in the entropy as two molecules of alcohol gives one molecule of ether and one molecule of water. In dehydration, one molecule of alcohol generates one molecule of alkene and one water molecule; thus, entropy increases in the system. The reaction shifts towards dehydration instead of condensation at higher temperatures.

Formation of propene at higher temperatures from n-propyl alcohol