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Chemistry AS ocr Organic Question

I don't understand why the removal of water from an alcohol can give more than one product. I know it's because the double bond can form in different places, but why is this?

Reply 1

Kvothe the Arcane

Original post by Farmerjj

I don't understand why the removal of water from an alcohol can give more than one product. I know it's because the double bond can form in different places, but why is this?

When you dehydrate an alcohol, you remove the -OH group and a hydrogen atom from the next carbon atom in the chain. The Carbon can be from either side of the Carbon from which the hydroxl group was removed.