Question

Ethyl alcohol is the hydrolysis product of :
a.) ${C_2}{H_5}Cl$
b.) $C{H_3}CHO$
c.) ${C_2}{H_4}$
d.) ${C_2}{H_5}MgI$

Answer 1

The hydrolysis is the reaction of addition of water in the reactant. Some substrates undergo hydrolysis in acidic medium and some others in basic medium. Alkyl halides undergo hydrolysis reaction in acidic medium to give alcohols as the product.

Complete step by step answer:
First, let us see what hydrolysis is. The hydrolysis is the reaction of addition of water in the reactant. Some substrates undergo hydrolysis in acidic medium and some others in basic medium. Alkyl halides undergo hydrolysis reaction in acidic medium to give alcohol.
As ethyl alcohol is alcohol. So, it would have been the product of hydrolysis of ethyl halide. So, the reaction can be given as -
${C_2}{H_5}X + {H_2}O + {H^ + } \to {C_2}{H_5}OH$
Now, let us see from the above options given to us.
The option a.) is the ethyl chloride. It is alkyl halide or ethyl halide. So, this one is the correct answer. The reaction of ethyl chloride in acidic medium can be written as -
${C_2}{H_5}Cl + {H_2}O + {H^ + } \to {C_2}{H_5}OH + HCl$

Thus, the option a.) is the correct answer.

Note: It must be noted that ethyl chloride is a colourless, flammable gas that has a sweet odour. It can be obtained in liquid form by refrigerating it. This colourless gas even in the basic medium gives ethyl alcohol i.e. when ethyl chloride is treated with potassium hydroxide in aqueous solution, the nucleophilic substitution reaction takes place that result in formation of ethyl alcohol i.e. ethanol and potassium chloride. The reaction for this reaction is written as - ${C_2}{H_5}Cl + KOH(aq) \to {C_2}{H_5}OH + KCl$