What is the product of an elimination reaction using cH2SO4 on an alcohol?

In an elimination reaction involving an alcohol treated with concentrated sulfuric acid (cH2SO4), the primary process that occurs is dehydration. The concentrated sulfuric acid acts as a dehydrating agent, removing a water molecule from the alcohol. This results in the formation of an alkene.

During the reaction, the alcohol undergoes protonation by sulfuric acid, which converts the hydroxyl (-OH) group into a better leaving group (water). As the reaction proceeds, the elimination of water occurs, leading to the formation of a double bond between adjacent carbon atoms—this is the defining characteristic of alkenes. The reaction is a specific type of elimination, known as E1 or E2, depending on the conditions and the structure of the alcohol.

Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons, meaning they contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond, which is a direct result of the elimination of the -OH group and a hydrogen atom from the nearby carbon during this reaction. This pathway distinguishes alkenes clearly from other organic compounds listed in the other choices.