Chemistry – Organic chemistry - Alkenes | e-Consult

The reaction of an alkene with water in the presence of a strong acid catalyst (like sulfuric acid, H₂SO₄) results in the formation of an alcohol. This reaction is an acid-catalyzed hydration. The acid catalyst protonates the alkene's double bond, forming a carbocation intermediate.

The acid catalyst's role is to increase the rate of the reaction by providing a source of H⁺ ions. The protonation step is the rate-determining step. The carbocation intermediate is then attacked by a water molecule, and a proton is lost to regenerate the acid catalyst, leading to the formation of the alcohol.

Because the water molecule adds to the carbocation intermediate in a specific way, the resulting product is a single alcohol. The reaction does not proceed via multiple pathways to form different alcohols. The catalyst ensures that the reaction follows a single, well-defined mechanism, resulting in a single major product.