Alcohols Ethanol was one of the first organic chemicals to be prepared and purified Ethanol production by fermentation of grains and sugars has been carried out for about 9,000 years Its purification by distillation goes back at least as far as the 12th century Today,approximately 4 billion gallons are produced each year in the United States through the fermentation of corn,barley,and sorghum Ethanol for nonbeverage use as a chemical intermediate is obtained by acid-catalyzed hydration of ethylene Approximately 110 million gallons are produced each year in the United States H20 H2C=CH2 H3PO4 CH3CH2OH 250C ▪ Ethanol was one of the first organic chemicals to be prepared and purified ▪ Ethanol production by fermentation of grains and sugars has been carried out for about 9,000 years ▪ Its purification by distillation goes back at least as far as the 12th century ▪ Today, approximately 4 billion gallons are produced each year in the United States through the fermentation of corn, barley, and sorghum ▪ Ethanol for nonbeverage use as a chemical intermediate is obtained by acid-catalyzed hydration of ethylene ▪ Approximately 110 million gallons are produced each year in the United States Alcohols