3.9       describe the manufacture of ethanol by passing ethene and steam over a phosphoric acid catalyst at a temperature of about 300°C and a pressure of about 60–70 atm

Ethanol is an important industrial chemical.  It can be manufactured using ethene (obtained by cracking fractions from crude oil.  The reaction is reversible and can reach equilibrium.  The equation for the reaction is given below in the usual format as well as in picture format using structural formulae.  Learn and remember the conditions for this reaction.

C2H4(g)  +   H2O (g)   ⇌   C2H5OH(g)