question_answer

Direction (11 - 15): When we are asked to make ether starting from alkyl halides by substitution reactions of alkoxide anion nucleophiles with alkyl halide electrophiles (The Williamson ether synthesis) The two ways to prepare the target ether can be there :

Route A involving a secondary \[\left( 2{}^\circ  \right)\] or tertiary \[\left( 3{}^\circ  \right)\] alkyl halide is not preferred because we expect the major product to result from elimination by \[{{E}_{2}}\] mechanism.

Route B on the other hand, employs a primary alkyl halide that can not give elimination (It has no hydrogen on the \[\beta \]-carbon) and that is excellent.

Which of the following reagents when heated will give a good yield of an ether?

A) Isopropyi bromide and sodium isopropoxide

B) Isopropyi bromide and sodium ethoxide

C) Bromobenzene and sodium phenoxide

D) Sodium tert butoxide and ethyl bromide.