Alkoxide ions alkyl halides

In fact, the reaction of alkoxides with alkyl halides or alkyl sulfates is an important general method for the preparation of ethers, and is known as the Williamson synthesis. Complications can occur because the increase of nucleo-philicity associated with the conversion of an alcohol to an alkoxide ion always is accompanied by an even greater increase in eliminating power by the E2 mechanism. The reaction of an alkyl halide with alkoxide then may be one of elimination rather than substitution, depending on the temperature, the structure of the halide, and the alkoxide (Section 8-8). For example, if we wish to prepare isopropyl methyl ether, better yields would be obtained if we were to... 

Alkoxide ion (RO ) The oxygen atom of a metal alkoxide acts as a nucleophile to replace the halogen of an alkyl halide The product is an ether... 

Recall from Section 8 13 that the major pathway for reaction of alkoxide ions with secondary alkyl halides IS E2 not Sn2... 

Alkanethiolate ions (RS ) are weaker bases than alkoxide ions (RO ) and undergo synthetically useful 8 2 reactions even with secondary alkyl halides... 

The Williamson ether synthesis (Sec tion 16 6) An alkoxide ion displaces a halide or similar leaving group in an Sn2 reaction The alkyl halide cannot be one that is prone to elimination and so this reaction is limited to methyl and primary alkyl halides There is no limitation on the alkoxide ion that can be used... 

The reaction between an alkoxide ion and an aryl halide can be used to prepare alkyl aryl ethers only when the aryl halide is one that reacts rapidly by the addition-elim mation mechanism of nucleophilic aromatic substitution (Section 23 6)... 

Weak acid (Section 1 16) An acid that is weaker than 1130" Weak base (Section 1 16) A base that is weaker than HO Williamson ether synthesis (Section 16 6) Method for the preparation of ethers involving an Sfj2 reaction between an alkoxide ion and a primary alkyl halide... 

The E2 reaction (for elimination, bimolecular) occurs when an alkyl halide is treated with a strong base, such as hydroxide ion or alkoxide ion (RO-). It is the most commonly occurring pathway for elimination and can be formulated as shown in Figure 11.17. 

Ethers can often be prepared by SN2 reaction of alkoxide ions, RO-. with alkyl halides. Suppose you wanted to prepare cyclohexyl methyl ether. Which of the two possible routes shown below would you choose Explain. 

Ethers can be prepared by reaction of an alkoxide or phenoxide ion with a primary alkyl halide. Anisole, for instance, results from reaction of sodium phenoxide with iodomethane. What kind of reaction is occurring Show the mechanism. 

Another method for the synthesis of epoxides is through the use of halo-hydrins, prepared by electrophilic addition of HO—X to alkenes (Section 7.3). When halohydrins are treated with base, HX is eliminated and an epoxide is produced by an intramolecular Williamson ether synthesis. That is, the nucleophilic alkoxide ion and the electrophilic alkyl halide are in the same molecule. 

Williamson ether synthesis (Section 18.2) A method for synthesizing ethers by S 2 reaction of an alkyl halide with an alkoxide ion. 

The addition of alcohols to carbon disulfide in the presence of a base produces xanthates. The base is often OH, but in some cases better results can be obtained by using methylsulfinyl carbanion (MeSOCH ) If an alkyl halide RX is present, the xanthate ester ROCSSR can be produced directly. In a similar manner, alkoxide ions add to CO2 to give carbonate ester salts ROCOO. ... 

This is not a new reaction. This is just an Sn2 reaction. We are simply using the alkoxide ion (ethoxide in this case) to function as the attacking nucleophile. But notice the net result of this reaction we have combined an alcohol and an alkyl halide to form an ether. This process has a special name. It is called the Williamson Ether Synthesis. This process relies on an Sn2 reaction as the main step, and therefore, we must be careful to obey the restrictions of Sn2 reactions. It is best to use a primary alkyl halide. Secondary alkyl halides cannot be used because elimination will predominate over substitution (as seen in Sections 10.9), and tertiary alkyl halides certainly cannot be used. 

The alkoxide ion reacts with the substrate in an SN2 reaction, with the resulting formation of the ether. The substrate must bear a good leaving group. Typical substrates are alkyl halides, alkyl sulfonates, and dialkyl sulfates, i.e. 

Ethers containing substituted all rl groups (secondary or tertiary) may also be prepared by this method. The reaction involves Sn2 attack of an alkoxide ion on primary alkyl halide. 

The so-called Williamson synthesis of ethers is by far the most important ether synthesis because of its versatility it can be used to make unsymmetrical ethers as well as symmetrical ethers, and aryl alkyl ethers as well as dialkyl ethers. These reactions involve the nucleophilic substitution of alkoxide ion or phenoxide ion for halide (equation 70).26°... 

This involves the direct nucleophilic displacement of halogen in an alkyl halide by an alkoxide ion (the Williamson synthesis) (Expt 5.72), and the method is particularly useful for the preparation of mixed ethers. For an unsymmetrical ether [e.g. t-butyl ethyl ether (7)], the disconnection approach suggests two feasible routes. 

The selection of reagents is governed by availability, cost, and, more importantly, the possible intrusion of side reactions. Thus in the above example, the action of the strongly basic ethoxide ion on t-butyl bromide would give rise to extensive alkene formation on the other hand little or no elimination would occur by the alternative reaction route. In general therefore, secondary or tertiary alkyl groups can only be incorporated into ethers by the Williamson synthesis by way of the corresponding alkoxide ions in reaction with a primary halide. 

Both the alkyl halide and the alkoxide ion are prepared from alcohols. The problem then becomes one of preparing the appropriate alcohol (or alcohols) from the starting ester. This is readily done using lithium aluminum hydride. 

The elimination of hydrogen halide (a halogen acid) from an alkyl halide requires a strong base such as the alkoxide ion, RO. Weaker bases such as the OH ion give poor yields of elimination product. 

Elimination reactions can also occur when a carbon halogen bond does not completely ionize, but merely becomes polarized. As with the El reactions, E2 mechanisms occur when the attacking group displays its basic characteristics rather than its nucleophilic property. The activated complex for this mechanism contains both the alkyl halide and the alkoxide ion. 

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