Conversion of Acetylene into methane

Explanation

To convert acetylene (C₂H₂) into methane (CH₄), we will follow a series of chemical reactions. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the process:

### Step 1: Addition of Water to Acetylene
- **Reaction**: C₂H₂ + H₂O → CH₃CHO (acetaldehyde)
- **Process**: Acetylene reacts with water in the presence of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and mercuric ion (Hg²⁺) as a catalyst. This reaction leads to the formation of an intermediate alcohol (vinyl alcohol), which then tautomerizes to form acetaldehyde (CH₃CHO).

### Step 2: Tautomerization
- **Intermediate**: CH₂=CHOH (vinyl alcohol)
...