Is Williamson Ether Synthesis reversible?

1 Answer
anor277
Mar 26, 2018

Would you expect it to be?

Explanation:

The Williamson ether synthesis formally forms an ether from an alkoxide, and an hydrocarbyl halide....the alkoxide is often added as the parent alcohol in the presence of stoichiometric or EXCESS metal hydroxide, i.e. #KOH#, or #NaOH#...and so the generalized rxn is....

#R'CH_2X + HOR+M^+""^(-)OHrarrR'CH_2OR +M^(+)X^(-)darr + H_2O#

The precipitation of an alkali metal salt, i.e. #KCl# or #NaCl# provides a thermodynamic driving force to the reaction... And for these reasons, both kinetic and thermodynamic, along with formation of the STABLE water molecule, the reaction should be pretty irreversible.

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