Engineering
Chemistry
Preparation of Alkyl Halide
Question

What is most favourable combination of alkoxide and halide to prepare

by Williomson's ether synthesis ?

JEE Advance
College PredictorLive

Know your College Admission Chances Based on your Rank/Percentile, Category and Home State.

Get your JEE Main Personalised Report with Top Predicted Colleges in JoSA

Solution

Williamson ether synthesis involves nucleophilic substitution (SN2) where an alkoxide ion attacks an alkyl halide. To form the desired unsymmetrical ether, the alkoxide should be derived from the less sterically hindered primary alcohol, and the halide should be a primary or methyl halide to avoid competing elimination. The target ether has a phenyl group attached to oxygen and a primary alkyl chain. The phenyl group is stable and won't undergo elimination, so the alkoxide should be phenoxide. The halide must be primary to ensure good SN2 reactivity.

Final Answer: Sodium phenoxide and 1-Bromopropane