Question

Sequence of Reactions of Ethylene and Chlorine to form PVC:

Hint:

The production of PVC from ethylene and chlorine involves chlorination, cracking, and polymerization. The key intermediate is vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), which polymerizes to form PVC.

Answer 1

The production of PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) involves a sequence of reactions that starts with ethylene and chlorine. The reactions can be outlined as follows: 1. Chlorination of Ethylene: The first step involves the reaction of ethylene (\( \text{C}_2\text{H}_4 \)) with chlorine (\( \text{Cl}_2 \)) to form 1,2-dichloroethane (\( \text{C}_2\text{H}_4\text{Cl}_2 \)): \[ \text{C}_2\text{H}_4 + \text{Cl}_2 \rightarrow \text{C}_2\text{H}_4\text{Cl}_2 \] 2. Production of Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM): The 1,2-dichloroethane undergoes pyrolysis (cracking) at high temperatures to produce vinyl chloride monomer (VCM, \( \text{C}_2\text{H}_3\text{Cl} \)): \[ \text{C}_2\text{H}_4\text{Cl}_2 \rightarrow \text{C}_2\text{H}_3\text{Cl} + \text{HCl} \] 3. Polymerization to form PVC: The vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) undergoes a free radical polymerization reaction, where the vinyl groups polymerize to form long chains of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): \[ \text{n} \, \text{C}_2\text{H}_3\text{Cl} \xrightarrow{\text{Initiator}} \left[\text{C}_2\text{H}_3\text{Cl}\right]_n \, \text{(PVC)} \] The polymerization results in the formation of PVC, a widely used plastic in various industries, from pipes to flooring materials.