Question

Question: Rank the alcohols in order of increasing reactivity when dehydrated with ${\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{2}}{\mathbf{So}}_{\mathbf{4}}$

Short answer

Answer

The alcohols in order of increasing reactivity, when dehydrated with ${\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{So}}_4$are mentioned below.

Step-by-step solution

Step-by-Step Solution Step 1: Dehydration of an alcohol

The elimination of water molecules from alcohol in the presence of acid is termed the dehydration of alcohol.

Order of ease of dehydration of alcohol and stability of carbocation

The decreasing order of the ease of the dehydration of alcohol in the presence of acid is given as follows.

$3°\mathrm{alcohol}>2°\mathrm{alcohol}>1°\mathrm{alcohol}$

The above order is dependent on the stability of the carbocation. The order is given as follows.

$3°\mathrm{alcohol}>2°\mathrm{alcohol}>1°\mathrm{alcohol}$

Order of increasing reactivity

The formation of a carbocation in the given compounds is as follows.

Order of carbocation

Thus, the increasing order of dehydration is shown below.

Order of dehydration