Ethers

By Williamson synthesis, alkyl halide on reaction with sodium alkoxide gives ether.

C₂H₅Cl + C₂H₅ONa → C₂H₅OC₂H₅ + NaCl

Ethyl chloride + Sodium Ethoxide → Diethyl ether + sodium chloride

Ethyl chloride is converted into diethyl ether by Williamson's synthesis.

Williamson's synthesis is a commonly used method to prepare ethers. In this reaction, an alkoxide ion (RO-) reacts with an alkyl halide to form an ether. The alkoxide ion is generated by treating an alcohol with a strong base.

In the case of converting ethyl chloride to diethyl ether, the reaction can be represented as follows:

CH3CH2Cl + CH3CH2O- → CH3CH2OCH2CH3 + Cl-

In this reaction, ethyl chloride (CH3CH2Cl) reacts with an alkoxide ion (CH3CH2O-) to produce diethyl ether (CH3CH2OCH2CH3) and a chloride ion (Cl-).

The other reactions mentioned, Perkins reaction, Grignard reagent, and Wurtz reaction, do not directly convert ethyl chloride into diethyl ether. Perkins reaction is used for the oxidation of aldehydes to corresponding carboxylic acids. Grignard reagent is used for the formation of carbon-carbon bonds, and the Wurtz reaction is used for the synthesis of alkyl halides with the formation of a carbon-carbon bond.