Reactivity of Ethylene Glycol with Water

The most commonly produced diol is ethylene glycol. It’s a monomer of polyethylene terephthalate. The oxidation of ethylene with O2 to ethylene oxide, then the hydration of ethylene oxide to ethylene glycol, is how ethylene glycol is made.

Ethylene glycol has a molecular weight or molar mass of 62.07 g mol-1. Ethylene glycol has a density of 1.11 g cm-3. Ethylene glycol has a boiling point of 197.3oC. Ethylene glycol has a melting point of 12.9°C.

Ethylene oxide is a more potent carcinogen than previously considered, according to new research. To account for the new information, we modified our cancer risk estimations. As a result, more regions in the 2014 NATA indicate greater ethylene oxide hazards than in the 2011 NATA. This does not imply that there is any more of this substance in the air in these locations than there was previously. Even if emissions in a given location are the same — or potentially even lower — the new cancer value frequently leads to a higher risk assessment.

Characteristics of Ethylene Glycol

Physical Properties:

• It has a sweet taste and is colourless, viscous, and hygroscopic.
• It is extremely soluble in water, polar solvents, and non-polar solvents, but not in non-polar solvents.
• Because of intermolecular hydrogen bonding, the boiling point is quite high.

Chemical Properties:

In the presence of sodium, the reaction is as follows:

OHCH2CH2OH+2Na →ONaCH2CH2OH+Na → ONaCH2CH2ONa

In the presence of PX3,, the reaction is as follows:

OHCH2–CH2OH+ 2PCl5 → ClCH2CH2Cl+ 2POCl2+2HCl

In the presence of SOCl2, the reaction is as follows:

OHCH2CH2OH+ 2SOCl2 → ClCH2CH2 Cl+ 2SO2+2HCl

Ethylene Glycol and Water

Ethylene Glycol: Ethylene glycol (EG) is a widely utilised organic molecule and chemical intermediary in many industrial processes. Indeed, a variety of chemical systems (e.g., catalytic and non-catalytic) have been investigated for the synthesis of EG, particularly reaction processes fossil fuel – based (e.g., petroleum, natural gas, and coal) and biomass-based resources, due to its unique properties and diverse commercial applications. This comprehensive review covers a wide range of EG features as well as notable advancements in EG synthesis and uses, with a focus on the catalytic reactivity and reaction mechanisms of the most common synthetic techniques and strategies. In addition, we present an outline of the problems and potential for future research in the field of EG.

Water: Water is a gaseous, liquid, and solid material that is made up of the chemical components hydrogen and oxygen. It’s one of the most common and essential compounds on the planet. It is a tasteless and odourless liquid with the critical ability to dissolve a wide spectrum of other compounds at ambient temperature. Water’s adaptability as a solvent is vital to living species’ survival. 

Conclusion

For carbonyl groups, ethylene glycol is used as a protective group. 1,3-dioxolane is produced by reacting a ketone or aldehyde with ethylene glycol in the presence of an acid catalyst. This is resistant to nucleophiles and bases. Following that, acid hydrolysis operations remove the 1,3-dioxolane protective group. Isophorone, for example, is protected by ethylene glycol and p-toluenesulfonic acid. To shift the equilibrium to the right, water is removed using an azeotropic distillation method.