1. Dehydration of Alkanols
Aluminium oxide
Rocksil wool
soaked
in pentanol

2. Pentan-2-ol C H OH
On dehydration we can loose either the H to the left
Of the OH group
Or the H to the right of the OH group
Both reactions will form an alkene but the alkene formed
will depend on which H is lost with the OH group

3. H H H OH H H C C C C C H H H H H H Pentan-2-ol
If we lose the H to the right of the OH group
The product is pent-1-ene

4. H H H OH H H C C C C C H H H H H H Pentan-2-ol
If we lose the H to the left of the OH group
The product is pent-2-ene

5. Pentan-3-ol C H OH
The OH and an H on the next carbon is lost to produce
water and an alkene
The alkene is pent-2 ene
Because of the position of the OH
this is the only alkene which can be formed

6. C H OH Pentan-3-ol If the H on the other side of the OH is lost
The alkene is still pent-2 ene
The two alkenes formed are identical pent-2-ene