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.
![The image displays a series of chemical reaction steps involving structural formulas of organic compounds. On the left side, the top structure is a five-carbon chain with an alcohol group (OH) on the second carbon from the end. Below this, an arrow points downward, indicating a transformation.
There are two empty, red, dashed boxes, suggesting missing intermediate steps or products.
The bottom structure on the left shows a similar carbon chain, but the alcohol group is replaced with a bromine atom (Br) on the same carbon position.
On the right side, multiple pathways are presented, labeled B to E:
- **B**: An arrow indicating a reaction with HBr.
- **C**: An arrow indicating a reaction with HBr and heat.
- **D**: An arrow indicating a reaction with H₂O.
- **E**: An arrow indicating a reaction with NaOH and heat.
These pathways suggest different possible reactions or conditions that could convert the starting material to the product with bromine.](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F48d77f89-4a4a-4be1-888e-697d04354f4d%2F9ec0e921-366d-422e-82d5-3d62cd98cde8%2Flcu4yu_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
![**Title: Determining Reagents for an SN1 Reaction**
**Objective:**
Predict the reagents needed to complete the following SN1 reaction.
**Diagram Description:**
1. **Reactant Structure:**
- The reactant depicted is a branched alkane with an alcohol group (-OH) attached to it.
2. **Reaction Flow:**
- An arrow points downward from the reactant, leading to two empty red dashed boxes. This indicates that two reagents need to be identified to proceed with the reaction.
**Reagent Options:**
- Four options are available, each represented by an arrow pointing downward alongside a reagent or condition:
**A.** \( \text{H}_3\text{O}^+ \)
**B.** \( \text{HBr} \)
**C.** \( \text{HBr, heat} \)
**D.** \( \text{H}_2\text{O} \)
**Task:**
Select the appropriate reagents from the options provided to complete the SN1 reaction for the given alcohol.](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2F48d77f89-4a4a-4be1-888e-697d04354f4d%2F9ec0e921-366d-422e-82d5-3d62cd98cde8%2Fg5zft4w_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
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