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 shows two chemical structures of organic molecules that appear to be identical. Both structures feature a benzene ring with a bromine atom (Br) attached to one of the carbon atoms in the ring, and a methoxy group (OCH3) attached to another carbon atom in the ring. The positions of the bromine and methoxy substituents suggest that these compounds are likely structural isomers (ortho, meta, or para) of a bromoanisole.
Detailed Description of the Chemical Structures:
1. Benzene Ring:
- The hexagonal structures represent benzene rings, which consist of six carbon atoms forming a closed loop with alternating double bonds (conjugated system).
2. Bromine (Br):
- Each structure has a bromine atom (Br) attached to a carbon atom of the benzene ring through a single bond. Bromine is a halogen and is represented by "Br" with lone pairs of electrons.
3. Methoxy Group (OCH3):
- Each structure also has a methoxy group (OCH3) attached to another carbon atom of the benzene ring. The methoxy group consists of an oxygen atom bonded to a methyl group (CH3).
4. Possible Isomerism:
- The exact positioning of the substituents (bromine and methoxy) is crucial to defining the specific isomer. These could potentially be ortho (adjacent), meta (one carbon apart), or para (opposite) bromoanisole.
Overall, the image highlights two instances of what appear to be the same chemical structure, which can facilitate discussion on structural representation and isomerism in organic chemistry.](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Fef4f72d3-80ca-49e0-beb6-c5f7f04e690f%2Fe798709c-dcab-46b8-a746-4bf05365b5ce%2F62umopp_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
![### Predict the Product(s):
In the provided reaction, anisole (methoxybenzene) reacts with bromine \((\text{Br}_2)\) in the presence of iron(III) bromide \((\text{FeBr}_3)\) as a catalyst. The task is to predict the product(s) formed under these conditions.
#### Reaction Scheme:
- Reactant: Anisole \((\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{OCH}_3)\)
- Reagents: Bromine \((\text{Br}_2)\) in the presence of iron(III) bromide \((\text{FeBr}_3)\)
1. **Option 1:**
- Product: Single brominated anisole
\[\includegraphics[scale=0.5]{br_ph.png}\]
- Structure: Bromine attached to the ortho position of the benzene ring with respect to the methoxy group
2. **Option 2:**
- Products: Two isomers of brominated anisole
\[\includegraphics[scale=0.5]{br_ph_both.png}\]
- Structures: Bromines attached to the ortho and para positions of the benzene ring with respect to the methoxy group
### Explanation:
Anisole undergoes electrophilic aromatic substitution more readily in the presence of a strong catalyst like \(\text{FeBr}_3\). The methoxy group (\(-\text{OCH}_3)\) is an activating group that directs the incoming bromine to the ortho and para positions of the benzene ring. Therefore, the products could include either:
- A single substitution at the ortho position.
- A mixture of both ortho and para substituted products.
### Conclusion:
The correct answer is likely the second option, reflecting the typical behavior of anisole under these reaction conditions resulting in both ortho and para substituted brominated products.](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Fef4f72d3-80ca-49e0-beb6-c5f7f04e690f%2Fe798709c-dcab-46b8-a746-4bf05365b5ce%2Fevxk20f_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
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