Question

Question: The ether CH₃OCH₂CH₃can be prepared by two different nucleophilic substitution reactions, one using CH₃O^- as a nucleophile and the other using CH₃CH₂O^- as a nucleophile. Draw both routes

Short answer

ANSWER

Route when is used as a nucleophile

Route when is used as a nucleophile

Step-by-step solution

Nucleophiles

Nucleophiles are molecules containing lone pairs, a negative charge, or both.

Nucleophilic substitution reactions

In these reactions, the nucleophile attacks an electrophile by donating a pair of free electrons.

Different routes for the preparation of the given ether

When CH₃O^-is a nucleophile, the carbon framework of the required alkyl halide must be CH₃CH₂X (where X is halide ion). However, when CH₃CH₂O^- is the nucleophile, the carbon framework of the required alkyl halide must be CH₃X (where X is halide ion).

Hence, the desired reaction routes are shown below:

Route when is used as a nucleophile

Route when is used as a nucleophile