Dehydration of propan-1-ol to propene followed by acid-catalyzed hydration to propan-2-ol

Steps:

• Heat propan-1-ol with concentrated H2SO4 to dehydrate it, forming propene via elimination of water.
• Propene has a symmetrical structure allowing Markovnikov addition of water to yield propan-2-ol.
• Use steam (water vapor) with phosphoric acid catalyst for hydration, ensuring the OH adds to the more substituted carbon.
• This two-stage process isomerizes the primary alcohol to the secondary alcohol.

Why C is correct:

• Steam with phosphoric acid catalyzes electrophilic addition of water to propene, following Markovnikov's rule (H adds to less substituted carbon, OH to more substituted), forming CH3CH(OH)CH3.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Cold dilute acidified MnO4- oxidizes propene to propane-1,2-diol via syn dihydroxylation.
• B: Hot concentrated MnO4- cleaves the C=C bond in propene to ethanoic acid and CO2.
• D: Aqueous NaOH deprotonates the alcohol or does nucleophilic substitution but fails to hydrate the alkene.

Final answer: C