Question

Write a chemical equation to illustrate the following name reaction:

Williamson’s synthesis

Answer 1

Williamson synthesis is a process that creates new compounds by reacting an alkyl halide with sodium alkoxide. By heating methyl iodide with sodium ethoxide, ethyl methyl ether can be produced.

\[\ce{\underset{Alkyl halide}{R - X} + \underset{Sodium Alkoxide}{R'ONa} -> \underset{Ether}{R - O - R'} + \underset{Sodium halide}{NaX}}\]

For example:

\[\ce{\underset{Methyl iodide}{CH3I} + \underset{Sod. ethoxide}{CH3CH2ONa} -> \underset{Ethyl methyl ether}{CH3 - O - CH2CH3} + NaI}\]