[cjh100]

Hi helpful people,

1). Why is Potassium permanganate acidified with dilute H₂SO₄? Is it to provide the H⁺ ions to the alkene?

2). Is the reaction half equation (using propene as an example) . . . CH₃-CH=Ch₂ + [O^- ] -> CH₃-CHOH-CH₂OH? . . . ie. is the alkene converted to a diol?

3). What is the complete reaction equation (including (if there is one?) the reaction between potassium permanganate and dilute sulphuric acid).

4) What happens if you don't acidify the permanganate? Does anything happen? I've read that the solution being hot or cold changes the reaction, could you elaborate on this?

5) Lastly, If you were to add concentrated sulphuric acid would it react with the potassium permanganate? Is this why dilute is used or is it simply because the dilute acid already provides enough hydrogen for the alcohol to form (assuming my assumption in question 1 is correct)?

Thanks so much to anyone taking the time to answer this.