Question:
Write the mechanism of hydration of ethene to yield ethanol.
Solution:
The mechanism of hydration of ethene to form ethanol involves three steps.
Step 1:
Protonation of ethene to form carbocation by electrophilic attack of H3O+:
Step 2:
Nucleophilic attack of water on carbocation:
Step 3:
Deprotonation to form ethanol:
