Ethers from Williamson ether synthesis

Now let s use alkoxides to make ethers—the Williamson ether synthesis. Several modifications of the original procedure have made this venerable method quite useful, although there are some restrictions. The reaction works only for alkyl halides that are active in the Sn2 reaction. Therefore, tertiary halides cannot be used. They are too hindered to undergo the crucial Sn2 reaction. Sometimes there is an easy way around this problem, but sometimes there isn t. For example, tert-huXy methyl ether cannot be made from tert-hnty iodide and sodium methoxide, but it can be made from / r/-butoxide and methyl iodide (Fig. 7.106). However, there is no way to use the Williamson ether synthesis to make di-Z rZ-butyl ether. 

Both reactants m the Williamson ether synthesis usually originate m alcohol pre cursors Sodium and potassium alkoxides are prepared by reaction of an alcohol with the appropriate metal and alkyl halides are most commonly made from alcohols by reaction with a hydrogen halide (Section 4 7) thionyl chloride (Section 4 13) or phosphorus tri bromide (Section 4 13) Alternatively alkyl p toluenesulfonates may be used m place of alkyl halides alkyl p toluenesulfonates are also prepared from alcohols as their imme diate precursors (Section 8 14)... 

Next in what amounts to an intramolecular Williamson ether synthesis the alkoxide oxygen attacks the carbon that bears the halide leaving group giving an epoxide As m other nucleophilic substitutions the nucleophile approaches carbon from the side oppo site the bond to the leaving group... 

Base promoted cyclization of vicinal halohydrms (Section 16 10) This reaction is an intramolecu lar version of the Williamson ether synthesis The alcohol function of a vicinal halohydrin is con verted to its conjugate base which then displa ces halide from the adjacent carbon to give an epoxide... 

WILLIAMSON Ether synthesis Synthesis of ethers from alcoholates with alkyl halides... 

Picolyl ethers are prepared from their chlorides by a Williamson ether synthesis (68-83% yield). Some selectivity for primary versus secondary alcohols can be achieved (ratios = 4.3-4.6 1). They are cleaved electrolytically ( — 1.4 V, 0.5 M HBF4, MeOH, 70% yield). Since picolyl chlorides are unstable as the free base, they must be generated from the hydrochloride prior to use. These derivatives are relatively stable to acid (CF3CO2H, HF/anisole). Cleavage can also be effected by hydrogenolysis in acetic acid. ... 

Picolyl ethers are prepared from their chlorides by a Williamson ether synthesis (68-83% yield). Some selectivity for primary vs. secondary alcohols can be achieved (ratios = 4.3-4.6 1). Picolyl ethers are cleaved electrolytically ( —1.4 V,... 

A variant of the Williamson ether synthesis uses thallium alkoxides. The higher reactivity of these can be of advantage in the synthesis of ethers from diols, triols and hydroxy carboxylic acids, as well as from secondary and tertiary alcohols on the other hand however thallium compounds are highly toxic. 

Koenigs-Knorr reaction of, 990 molecular model of, 119, 126, 985 mutarotation of, 985-986 pentnacetyl ester of, 988 pentamethyl ether of, 988 pyranose form of, 984-985 pyruvate from. 1143-1150 reaction with acetic anhydride, 988 reaction with ATP, 1129 reaction with iodomethane, 988 sweetness of. 1005 Williamson ether synthesis with. 988... 

An early synthesis of [18]crown-6 (1) involved the cyclization of hydroxychloride (30) via a Williamson ether synthesis. The yield was 2%. In an adaptation of this approach ethylene oxide was oligomerized in the presence of an alkali cation template. By varying the cation template from lithium to sodium to potassium the major macrocyclic product changed from [12]crown-4 to [15]crown-5 to [18]crown-6, albeit only in about 10% yield (76CC295). 

Ethers are prepared from alkyl halides by the treatment of metal alkoxide. This is known as Williamson ether synthesis (see Sections 4.3.6 and 5.5.2). Williamson ether synthesis is an important laboratory method for the preparation of both symmetrical and unsymmetrical ethers. Symmetrical ethers are prepared by dehydration of two molecules of primary alcohols and H2SO4 (see Sections 4.3.7 and 5.5.3). Ethers are also obtained from alkenes either by acid-catalysed addition of alcohols or alkoxymercuration-reduction (see Section 5.3.1). 

Both alkyl groups in benzyl ethyl ether are primary, thus either may come from the alkyl halide in a Williamson ether synthesis. The two routes to benzyl ethyl ether are... 

Diethyl ether is prepared commercially by intermolecular dehydration of ethanol with sulfuric acid. The Williamson ether synthesis, another route to ethers, involves preparation of an alkoxide from an alcohol and a reactive metal, followed by an SN2 displacement between the alkoxide and an alkyl halide. 

There are two different ways of making 2-ethoxyoctane from octan-2-ol using the Williamson ether synthesis. When pure (— )-octan-2-ol of specific rotation —8.24° is treated with sodium metal and then ethyl iodide, the product is 2-ethoxyoctane with a specific rotation of —15.6°. When pure (— )-octan-2-ol is treated with tosyl chloride and pyridine and then with sodium ethoxide, the product is also 2-ethoxyoctane. Predict the rotation of the 2-ethoxyoctane made using the tosylation/ sodium ethoxide procedure, and propose a detailed mechanism to support your prediction. 

The syntheses of crown compounds invariably rely upon the Williamson ether synthesis, a dated but reliable reaction which is extemely useful in the synthesis of these medium-ring and large-ring compounds.7 The syntheses are usually not discussed in much detail in the literature, since the emphasis in the general area of supramolecular chemistry is on the properties of the target compounds, not on their preparation. It is frequently the case, however, that these apparently conventional syntheses are far from straightforward. 

The anethole ring has two functional groups - an ether and a hydrocarbon side chain with a double bond. The ether is synthesized first - by a Williamson ether synthesis from phenol and CH3I. The hydrocarbon side chain results from a Friedel-Crafts acylation of the ether. Reduction of the ketone, bromination and dehydrohalogenation are used to introduce the double bond. 

The intermediate resulting from addition of H is similar to the intermediate in a Williamson ether synthesis. Intramolecular reaction occurs to form the epoxide. 

The Williamson reaction, discovered in 1850, is still the best general method for the preparation of unsymmetrical or symmetrical ethers.The reaction can also be carried out with aromatic R, although C-alkylation is sometimes a side reaction (see p. 515). The normal method involves treatment of the halide with alkoxide or aroxide ion prepared from an alcohol or phenol, although methylation using dimethyl carbonate has been reported. It is also possible to mix the halide and alcohol or phenol directly with CS2CO3 in acetonitrile, or with solid KOH in Me2SO. The reaction can also be carried out in a dry medium,on zeolite-or neat or in solvents using microwave irradiation. Williamson ether synthesis in ionic liquids has also been reported. The reaction is not successful for tertiary R (because of elimination), and low yields are often obtained with secondary R. Mono-ethers can be formed from diols and alkyl halides. Many other... 

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