Ethanol is unexpectedly obtained in precipitate? (9)
I believe the answer is:
hailstone
'precipitate?' is the definition.
(hail is a type of precipitate)
'ethanol is unexpectedly' is the wordplay.
'unexpectedly' indicates an anagram.
'ethanol'+'is'='ethanolis'
'ethanolis' anagrammed gives 'HAILSTONE'.
'obtained in' is the link.
(Other definitions for hailstone that I've seen before include "It lands with a noise" , "drop of ice" , "a drop of the hard stuff?" , "Hard precipitation" , "sign of cold weather" .)