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How will you bring about the following conversion?
Methanol to ethanol
Answer
Answer
AI$\text{CH}_3\text{OH} + \text{PCl}_5 \longrightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{Cl} + \text{POCl}_3 + \text{HCl}$
$\text{CH}_3\text{Cl} + \text{KCN (alc.)} \longrightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{CN} + \text{KCl}$
$\text{CH}_3\text{CN} + 2\text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{H}^+ \longrightarrow \text{CH}_3\text{COOH} + \text{NH}_4^+$
$\text{CH}_3\text{COOH} \xrightarrow{(1) \text{LiAlH}_4, \text{ ether} / (2) \text{H}_3\text{O}^+} \text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{OH}$
From ISC 2026 Chemistry Paper 1, question 12(i).