Naphtha to propanol via cracking and hydration

Steps:

• Naphtha fraction contains C5-C10 alkanes from crude oil.
• Process X cracks these alkanes into smaller alkenes like propene.
• Process Y hydrates propene with steam to form propanol (CH3CH=CH2 + H2O → CH3CH(OH)CH3).
• This sequence matches industrial production of alcohols from petroleum.

Why A is correct:

• Cracking (X) produces alkenes from naphtha; reaction with steam (Y) adds water across the double bond per Markovnikov's rule, yielding propanol.

Why the others are wrong:

• B: Fermentation produces bio-alcohols like ethanol from sugars, not petroleum alkenes.
• C: Fractional distillation separates naphtha but doesn't convert it; cracking is needed next.
• D: Fractional distillation is prior to naphtha isolation; fermentation is biological, irrelevant to petroleum.

Final answer: A