Understanding Dehydration of Alcohols: Common Questions About the Experiment

[Soaring Crane]

I have a question about the general dehydration experiment.

Why is the alkene that was distilled from the dehydration reaction washed with a base solution?

Is this to neutralize the remaining traces of acid?

Thanks.

 

[stunner5000pt]

i think since the only way to convert an alcohol to an alkene would be using an acid catalyst, then washing the resultant alkene with a base would neutralize this acid, so yes,you are correct