Reactions of Ethers
Ethers (R-O-R’) are compounds formed by replacing hydrogen atoms of an alcohol (R-OH compound) or a phenol (C6H5OH) by an aryl/ acyl group (functional group after removing single hydrogen from an aromatic ring). In this section, reaction, preparation and behavior of ethers are discussed in the context of organic chemistry.
Epoxides
Epoxides are a special class of cyclic ethers which are an important functional group in organic chemistry and generate reactive centers due to their unusual high reactivity. Due to their high reactivity, epoxides are considered to be toxic and mutagenic.
Williamson Ether Synthesis
An organic reaction in which an organohalide and a deprotonated alcohol forms ether is known as Williamson ether synthesis. Alexander Williamson developed the Williamson ether synthesis in 1850. The formation of ether in this synthesis is an SN2 reaction.
![## Determine the major product of the following reaction
### Reaction Scheme
The given chemical reaction involves a specific organic reactant undergoing two sequential transformations. Here’s the detailed reaction process:
1. The reactant molecule is 2-butanol, which is a secondary alcohol with the molecular formula C4H10O.
2. The first step of the reaction involves the use of hydronium ion (\( \text{H}_3\text{O}^+ \)) and heat (indicated by the \( \Delta \) symbol). This step typically suggests an acid-catalyzed dehydration of the alcohol, resulting in the formation of an alkene.
3. The second step of the reaction involves the use of hydrogen gas (H₂) and a palladium (Pd) catalyst. This step represents a hydrogenation reaction, where the alkene is converted to an alkane.
### Detailed Explanation
#### Step 1: Acid-Catalyzed Dehydration of 2-Butanol
When 2-butanol undergoes acid-catalyzed dehydration, the hydroxyl group (–OH) is removed, and a double bond is formed. This results in the formation of but-2-ene isomers, specifically trans-2-butene and but-1-ene:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{CHOHCH}_3 \xrightarrow[\Delta]{\text{H}_3\text{O}^+} \text{CH}_3\text{CH}=\text{CHCH}_3 \]
#### Step 2: Hydrogenation of 2-butene
In the presence of H₂ and a Pd catalyst, the double bond of 2-butene undergoes addition of hydrogen, resulting in the formation of butane:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{CH}=\text{CHCH}_3 + \text{H}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{Pd}} \text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{CH}_2\text{CH}_3 \]
### Overall Reaction
The overall chemical reaction can be summarized as follows:
\[ \text{CH}_3\text{CH}(\text{OH})\text{CH}_2\text{CH}_3 \xrightarrow[\Delta]{\text{H}_3\text{O}^+} \text{CH}_](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Fef4f72d3-80ca-49e0-beb6-c5f7f04e690f%2Fc16219d1-1eb8-43ab-a12c-e65b41ba7d78%2Fpx3j5rok_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
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