1,2-Dichloroethane is heated with KOH (1 mol) in ethanol The major product formed is

Options

A. ethylene glycol
B. acetylene
C. 2-chloroethanol
D. vinyl chloride

Explanation

To solve the problem of what major product is formed when 1,2-Dichloroethane is heated with KOH in ethanol, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Reactants**:
- The reactant is 1,2-Dichloroethane (C2H4Cl2), which has the structure:
```
Cl-CH2-CH(Cl)-CH3
```

2. **Understand the Reaction Conditions**:
- KOH is a strong base and is used in alcoholic solution (ethanol). This indicates that we are likely to undergo an elimination reaction (dehydrohalogenation) rather than a substitution reaction.

3. **Determine the Type of Reaction**:
- Since we are using KOH in ethanol, we expect an elimination reaction where KOH will remove a hydrogen atom and a chlorine atom from the molecule.

4. **Select the Chlorine Atom to Remove**:
- We have two chlorine atoms in 1,2-Dichloroethane. Since KOH is in a 1:1 molar ratio, it will remove one of the chlorine atoms. We can choose either chlorine atom for removal, but typically, the more accessible one is removed first.

5. **Removing a Chlorine Atom**:
- Let's say we remove one chlorine atom from the first carbon (C1). The structure after removing Cl from C1 will be:
```
H2C=CH(Cl)
```

6. **Removing a Hydrogen Atom**:
- Now, we need to remove a hydrogen atom from the adjacent carbon (C2) to form a double bond. The KOH will abstract a hydrogen atom from C2, leading to the formation of a double bond between C1 and C2.

7. **Final Product Formation**:
- After removing the hydrogen and chlorine, the resulting compound will be:
```
H2C=CH-Cl
```
- This compound is known as Vinyl Chloride.

8. **Conclusion**:
- The major product formed from the reaction of 1,2-Dichloroethane with KOH in ethanol is Vinyl Chloride (C2H3Cl).

### Final Answer:
The major product formed is **Vinyl Chloride (C2H3Cl)**.

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