Question

During the dehydration of alcohols to alkenes by heating with conc. $H_{2}S{O}_4$, the initiating step is

• A. elimination of water
• B. protonation of an alcohol molecule
• C. formation of an ester
• D. formation of carbocation

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

The mechanism of dehydration of alcohol involves the following steps-
1. Formation of protonated alcohol
2. Formation of carbocation
3. Formation of ethene by elimination of a proton.