From alkenes
(i) By acid catalysed hydration: Alkenes react with water in the
presence of acid as catalyst to form alcohols In case of
unsymmetrical alkenes, the addition reaction takes place in
accordance with Markovnikov’s rule Mechanism
The mechanism of the reaction involves the following three steps:
Step 1: Protonation of alkene to form carbocation by electrophilic
attack of H3O
+ H2O + H
+ ® H3O
+
Step 2: Nucleophilic attack of water on carbocation