Why do you have to cool the methanol first before sulfuric acid is added to it? What is the cause of it to react so violently when you don't cool the methanol?
2007-07-14 06:16:32 · 7 answers · asked by MangaJunkie4Life^^ 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It's more or less the same principle as when you add sulfuric acid to water. Both methanol and water form hydrogen bonds with sulfuric acid. The degree of H-bonds formed with sulfuric acid is quite high. Thus, since bond formation is exothermic, a lot of energy is released in the form of heat, causing an immediate violent reaction.
2007-07-14 06:27:01 · answer #1 · answered by claudeaf 3 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Methanol Sulfuric Acid
2016-12-16 18:10:25 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Basically the reaction works the same way as reacting sulfuric acid in water. This is due to the hydrogen bonds of the methanol as it is in water. However there is another reason. When the two react it forms methyl hydrogen sulfate. Methyl hydrogen sulfate is incompatible with strong oxidizing agents. When sulfuric acid is hot is acts as a oxidizing agent. If the mixture is hot a very violent redox reaction takes place. If the methanol is cold when added to it it reduces the risk of this redox reaction. Otherwise it might blow up in your face.
2007-07-14 12:49:04 · answer #3 · answered by scott k 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The heat of solution is very high. The sulfuric acid has so much extra hydrogen bonding capability that's just looking for something like the oxygen atom in methanol. If you add it too quickly, you could actually boil the methanol and it would spit back acidic stuff in your face.
There are also chemical reactions that can take place to form things like monomethyl sulfate and dimethyl ether.
2007-07-14 06:33:16 · answer #4 · answered by Fly On The Wall 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Methanol is low boiling alcohol.
Boiling point 64.7 °C (337.8 K)
CH3OH + H2SO4 is highly exothermic reaction -Violent Reaction.
Addition is sulphuric acid to methanol i.e. large quantity of Methanol and portions of sulphuric acid.So we cool methanol and then add sulphuric acid in portions.
2007-07-14 07:17:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
I won't name what can be produced, its not a good idea to advertise such a thing in the 21st century. The sulfuric acid, if hotter and very strong can create something unbelievably nasty --fatal. Proceed cautiously and in a fume hood, if you get my *drift*.
2007-07-14 06:40:59 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
High temperatures accelerate the reaction.
2007-07-14 06:48:35 · answer #7 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋