Preparation of ether by dehydration of alcohol is one the simple method often carried out in an industrial production ether.

As such we are going to discuss ether production from simple or symmetrical alcohol

 

DEHYDRATION OF ALCOHOL

Is simple mean the broken down of alcohol by removing it hydroxyl, leaving alkyl group as a separate component of the product

For example

CH3CH2OH

ethanol

When the ethanol is heated with high concentration of acid for example tetraxosulphate (VI) acid , it breake into the following

Now, the general formula of ether is ROR

R is the functional group of the ether that will substituted for alkyl group of the alcohol, while the OH group of the alcohol is loss to form water molecule.

For example,

Two ethanol are heated in the present of concentrated  tetraxosuplate (VI) or (V) acid, it yield  ethyl ethoxy methane

This is shown below

CH3CH2OH     CH3CH2OH

ethanol                                                                           ethanol

Heat

The of the reaction is

CH3CH2-O-CH2CH3  + 2H2O

(Ethoxy ether ethane )                                                                                                water

 

Ethoxy ether is the ether form by dehydration excess concentration of Alcohol in the present of concentrated acid.

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