High School Chemistry Experiments that Foster the Ability to Think, Judge, and Communicate: Synthesizing Ethers and Alkenes by Dehydration of Alcohol in a Water Bath

Abstract

The synthesis of ethene and diethyl ether from ethanol is a typical experiment to familiarize students with the properties and reactivity of alcohols, ethers, and alkenes. Different products can be obtained by changing the reaction temperature (130 or 160˚C), which builds student’s interest in functional groups and organic synthesis. However, this reaction is somewhat unsuitable for students due to its high temperature conditions. In this study, we developed a more student-friendly experiment to synthesize ether and alkene from ethanol and 2-methyl-2-propanol at 90˚C using a water bath. This experiment includes determination of the reaction products based on the reaction conditions, and the properties and reactivity of products. Student notes and questionnaire results after the class practices indicate that this chemistry experiment is effective not only in developing students’ knowledge and skills, but also in fostering their ability to think, judge, and communicate.