When a mixture of ethyl alcohol and conc. `H_2SO_4` are heated at 413 K gives diethyl ether . This reaction is

Options

A. dehydration
B. desulphonation
C. intermolecular dehydration
D. intramolecular dehydration

Explanation

To determine the nature of the reaction when a mixture of ethyl alcohol and concentrated sulfuric acid is heated at 413 K to produce diethyl ether, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**: The reactants in this reaction are ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) and concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4).

2. **Understand the Reaction Conditions**: The reaction takes place at a temperature of 413 K. This temperature is significant because it is high enough to promote the reaction but not so high as to cause complete decomposition of the reactants.

3. **Recognize the Type of Reaction**: The reaction between ethyl alcohol and concentrated sulfuric acid leads to the formation of diethyl ether (C2H5)2O. This process involves the removal of water (H2O) from two molecules of ethyl alcohol.

4. **Mechanism of the Reaction**: This reaction is classified as an **intermolecular dehydration**. In this process, two molecules of ethyl alcohol undergo dehydration (loss of water) to form diethyl ether. The concentrated sulfuric acid acts as a dehydrating agent.

5. **Write the Reaction Equation**: The balanced chemical equation for the reaction can be written as:
\[ 2 \, \text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH} \xrightarrow{\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4, 413 \, \text{K}} (\text{C}_2\text{H}_5)_2\text{O} + \text{H}_2\text{O} \]

6. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the reaction is an intermolecular dehydration reaction leading to the formation of diethyl ether.