Chemical Properties of Carbon Compounds

Summary
Carbon compounds undergo different types of chemical reactions.
Substitution
Addition
Combustion
Combustion:
All carbon compounds react with oxygen to produce heat and light along with carbon dioxide and water.
This reaction of carbon with oxygen is called combustion.
Carbon Compound + Oxygen Carbon dioxide + water + heat and light
CH4 + 2O2 CO2 + 2H2O + Heat and light.
Aliphatic compounds on combustion produce a non-sooty flame.
Aromatic compounds on combustion produce sooty flame.
Oxidation:
Alcohols undergo oxidation in presence of oxidising agents like alkaline potassium permanganate
or acidified potassium dichromate to form carboxylic acids.
Example:
Ethyl alcohol on oxidation with alkaline potassium permanganate or acidified potassium dichromate
gives acetic acid.
CH3-CH2-OH AlkalineKMnO4or AcidifiedK2Cr2O7 CH3COOH
Addition reaction:
A chemical reaction is said to be an addition reaction if two substances combine and form a third
substance. In general unsaturated hydrocarbons like alkenes and alkynes prefers to undergo addition
reactions.

In addition reactions molecules add across double bond or triple bond.

Hydrogenation reaction involves the addition of hydrogen to unsaturated hydrocarbons in presence
of catalyst like nickel or platinum to form saturated hydrocarbons.
Examples:
Addition of hydrogen ethyne.
CH CH + 2H2 Ni or Pt CH3-CH3
Addition of halogens to alkenes.
CH2 = CH2 + X2 CH2X - CH2X
Similar to alkenes, addition reactions are also characteristic of alkynes.
Example:

Ethyne reacts readily with hydrogen in the presence of a suitable catalyst to form ethene, an
intermediate and then adds another hydrogen molecule to give ethane.
CHCH + H2 + (Catalyst) CH2=CH2 + H2 CH3-CH3
Halogens, especially chlorine, react readily with alkynes to produce tetra-halogen derivatives.
The addition of one molecule of chlorine to ethyne produces 1,2-dichloroethene. The product obtained
contains a carbon-carbon double bond and can further add one molecule of chlorine thus yielding a tetra
halogen derivative, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane.
CHCH + Cl2 CH(Cl)=CH(Cl) + Cl2 CH(Cl2)-CH(Cl2)
Substitution reaction:
A reaction in which an atom or group of atoms replaces another atom or group of atoms is called
substitution reaction. Alkanes undergo substitution reactions.
Example:
Chlorination of methane in presence of sunlight gives a mixture of products like methyl chloride,
methylene chloride, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride.
CH4 + Cl2 Sunlight CH3Cl + HCl
CH3Cl+Cl2 Sunlight CH2Cl2 + HCl
CH2Cl2+Cl2 Sunlight CHCl3+HCl
CHCl3+Cl2 Sunlight CCl4+HCl

Important Carbon Compounds

Summary
The two important carbon compounds are Ethanol and Ethanoic acid
Alcohol:
Molecules in which hydroxy group attached to alkyl groups are the alcohols.
The formula of alochols can be written by replacing hydrogen ("H") from alkanes with hydroxy
group ("OH").
R - H + OH R - OH
Alcohols can be named by replacing "e" from alkanes with "ol".
Alkan -e + ol Alkanol
Some of the important alcohols are:
Name of the alcohol

Chemical formula of
alcohol

Methanol

CH3-OH

Ethanol

CH3-CH2-OH

Propanol

CH3-CH2-CH2-OH

Butanol

CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH

Pentanol

CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH

Ethanol:

Ethanol is considered as one of the important organic compound.

The molecular formula of ethanol is C2H5OH. It is also called as ethyl alcohol.
Preparation of Ethanol:
Ethanol can be manufactured through fermentation of molasses.
The process involves slow decomposition of a complex organic compound like molasses into
simpler compounds including ethanol, by means of microorganisms like yeast.
Physical Properties of ethyl alcohol:
It is a colourless inflammable and sweet smelling liquid
Is miscible with water
It is a good solvent that dissolves most known substances.
Ethanol can cause drunkenness on consumption, even in small quantities of dilute ethanol.
Extremely poisonous when consumed in pure form (absolute alcohol)
Chemical properties of Ethanol:
It involves in different chemical reactions due to the presence of hydroxy group (-OH).
Reaction of ethanol with sodium:
Ethanol readily reacts with sodium to form sodium ethoxide and hydrogen gas.
2Na + 2CH3CH2OH 2CH3CH2ONa+ + H2
Reaction with concentrated sulphuric acid:
Ethanol on heating to a temperature of 443 K with excess concentrated sulphuric acid, gives
ethene.
CH3-CH2-OH Hot Conc. HSO CH2=CH2+H2O
Oxidatation:
Ethanol undergoes oxidation in presence of Potassium dichromate to form intially ethanal and
finally formsfurther oxidised ethanoic acid.
CH3-CH2-OH + K2Cr2O7 CH3-CHO CH3-COOH
Esterification:
Reaction of ethanol with carboxylic acids is called esterification reaction. The product formed in
this reaction is an ester along with water.
Esters are sweet smelling substances which are used in making perfumes and as flavoring agents.
Example:
CH3-CH2-OH + CH3-COOH CH3-COOC2H5 + H2O

Uses of Ethanol:
Ethanol is used in pharmaceutical preparations like tincture of iodine, cough syrups, and tonics.
Ethanol is used in the manufacture of organic compounds like acetaldehyde, acetic acid and
chloroform.
Ethanol is used as a preservative for biological specimen.

Acetic acid:
The molecular formula of acetic acid is CH3COOH.
5-8% solution of acetic acid in water is called vinegar.
Preparation of Ethanoic acid:
Ethanoic acid is prepared by the oxidation of ethanol in the presence of oxidising agents like
Alkaline KMnO4 or acidified K2Cr2O7.
CH3-CH2-OH Alkaline KMnO4 or Acidified K2Cr2O7 CH3-COOH
Physical Properties of Ethanoic acid:
Ethanoic acid is a colourless corrosive liquid with a pungent odour.
The melting point of pure ethanoic acid is 17 0C.
Ethanoic acid freezes during the winter and is known as glacial acetic acid.
Miscible with water, ether and ethyl alcohol.
Chemical Properties of Ethanoic acid:
Reaction with sodium carbonate:
Ethanoic acid reacts with sodium carbonate to give sodium acetate ,carbon dioxide and water
2CH3-COOH + Na2CO3 2CH3COO-Na+ + CO2 + H2O
Reaction with sodium hydrogen carbonate:
Ethanoic acid reacts with sodium hydrogen carbonate to give sodium acetate ,carbon dioxide and
water.
CH3-COOH + NaHCO3 CH3COO-Na+ + CO2 + H2O
Reaction with base:
Ethanoic acid reacts with bases to give salt and water.
Example:
Reaction of ethanoic acid with sodium hydroxide to form sodium acetate and water.
CH3-COOH + NaOH CH3COONa + H2O
Reaction with sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodiumhydrogen carbonate and with bases are the
acidic properties of ethanoic acid.
Saponification:
Esters react in the presence of an acid or a base to give back the alcohol and carboxylic acid. This is
called saponification reaction. This is reverse reaction of esterification reaction.

CH3COOC2H5 Sodium Hydroxide CH3-COOH + CH3-CH2-OH

Reaction with active metals:
Ethanoic acid reacts with active metals to form metal ethanoate and hydrogen gas.
Example:
2CH3COOH + 2Na 2CH3COONa + H2
2CH3COOH + Ca (CH3COO)2Ca + H2
Reduction:
Ethanoic acid is reduced to ethanol in presence of reducing reagnets like LiAlH 4 (Lithium aluminum
hydrate), NaBH4 (Sodium borohydrate).
CH3COOH + LiAlH4 CH3-OH
Uses of Ethanoic acid:
Preserve food items
Manufacture of artificial fibres
Ethanoic acid is used for coagulating latex to prepare rubber from it.
It is used as a reagent in the laboratory.
It is used in the preparation of perfumes.

Soaps and Detergents

Soaps:
Soapnut powder has been in use for almost 3,000 years. And still in many parts of India, soap nut powder
is using as a natural soap to remove oil.
Soap is a sodium salt or potassium salt of long chain fatty acids having cleansing action in water. They are
using as cleansing agents to remove dirt, oil from the skin and clothes.
Examples:
Sodium stearate, sodium oliate and sodium palmitate formed using stearic acid oleic acid and palmitic
acid.
Preparation of soap in laboratory:
Animal fat or vegetable oil act as glyceride or glyceryl ester. And sodium hydroxide and potassium
hydroxide act as bases.
Take about 30 ml of vegetable oil in a beaker. Then add 60 ml of 20% sodium hydroxide solution to it.
This mixture is heated slowly till it boils. After the mixture has boiled for five to ten minutes add 5grams
of sodium chloride in order to separate soap from the solution. Allow the solution to cool. The creamy
layer floating on top of the solution is the soap.
Thus soap is prepared by hydrolysing fat or oil with bases such as sodium hydroxide or potassium

hydroxide. This process of soap preparation is known as saponification

Generally soaps are prepared by heating animal fat or oil with alkalies like sodium hydroxide or
potassium hydroxide. This is saponification reaction.
Fat or Oil + Alkali Soap + Glycerol

Commercial preparation of soap:

It involves mixture of oil or fat and a strong solution of sodium hydroxide is boiled in an iron tank which
leads to the formation of a sodium salt of fatty acid or soap and glycerol.
Once the soap is formed, it is separated with the help of sodium chloride. Sodium chloride also reduces
the solubility of soap. Since the soap is lighter, it floats like cream on the solution.
It is separated from the solution, suitable chemicals are added for colour and odour and then it is cast
into moulds.
When the soap cools and solidifies, it is cut out into desired shapes and packed.Glycerol, which exists in a
dissolved state in the solution, is separated with the help of distillation.
It is possible to prepare different types of soaps from different salts of fatty acids.

Glycerol is by -product formed in the saponification reaction. This is used in the preparation of cosmetics,
paints and even explosives.

The Soap molecule has two ends with different properties. They are hydrophillic end and hydrophobic
end.
Hydrophillic end :
Hydrophillic end dissolves in water.
Hydrophobic end:
Hydrophobic which dissolves in hydrocarbons.
Cleaning action of soap:
The cleaning action of soap is due to micelle formation and emulsion formation. Inside water a unique
orientation forms clusters of molecules in which the hydrophobic tails are in the interior of the cluster
and the ionic ends on the surface of cluster. This results in the formation of micelle.
Soap in the form of micelle cleans the dirt as the dirt will be collected at the centre of micelle.
This property of soap makes it an emulsifier. The dirt suspended in micelles is easily rinsed away. This is
known as cleaning action of soap.
Scum:
In hard water soap don't give lather .Hard water contains calcium and magnesium salts, which combine
with soap molecules to form insoluble precipitates known as scum.
Detergents:
Detergents have almost the same properties as soaps but they are more effective in hard
water. Detergents are generally ammonium or sulphonate salts of long chain carboxylic acids. The
charged ends of these compounds do not form insoluble precipitates with the calcium and magnesium
ions in water.