Question

Why does the dehydration of an alcohol more often use concentrated sulfuric acid, H 2 S O 4 HX2SOX4, as the acid catalyst rather than dilute hydrochloric acid, H C l HCl

Answer 1

KAnswer:

See explanation

Explanation:

It is more common to use H2SO4 for dehydration reaction rather than HCl because HCl contains a good nucleophile,the chloride ion.

Owing to the presence of the chloride ion, a substitution reaction involving the chloride ion may also proceed also thereby affecting the elimination reaction.

Also, concentrated H2SO4 is a very good drying agent thus, as long as it is used, the alcohol substrate is completely dehydrated to yield the alkene.

Note that HCl is not a dehydrating agent.