A small amount of another organic product is formed in a Williamson ether synthesis. What is this product when the alkyl halide used in the synthesis of butyl propyl ether is            b. butyl bromide?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the main reaction: The Williamson ether synthesis involves the reaction of an alkoxide ion with an alkyl halide to form an ether. In this case, the main product is butyl propyl ether.
2. Consider the side reaction: In the presence of a strong base, such as the alkoxide ion, the alkyl halide can undergo elimination to form an alkene.
3. Determine the possible elimination product: With butyl bromide as the alkyl halide, the elimination reaction would likely result in the formation of 1-butene or 2-butene, depending on the position of the double bond.
4. Apply Zaitsev's rule: This rule states that the more substituted alkene is generally favored in elimination reactions. Therefore, 2-butene is more likely to be the major elimination product.
5. Summarize the side product: The small amount of another organic product formed in this reaction is likely to be 2-butene, due to the elimination of HBr from butyl bromide.

Key Concepts

Williamson Ether Synthesis

Williamson ether synthesis is a method for creating ethers through the reaction of an alkoxide ion with a primary alkyl halide. This reaction typically involves nucleophilic substitution, where the alkoxide acts as a nucleophile, attacking the electrophilic carbon of the alkyl halide, resulting in the formation of an ether and a halide ion.

Alkyl Halides

Alkyl halides are organic compounds containing a carbon atom bonded to a halogen atom (such as bromine, chlorine, or iodine). In the context of Williamson ether synthesis, the choice of alkyl halide is crucial, as primary alkyl halides favor the desired nucleophilic substitution reaction, while secondary or tertiary halides may lead to elimination reactions instead.

Side Products in Reactions

In organic reactions, side products can form alongside the desired product due to competing reactions. In the case of Williamson ether synthesis, when butyl bromide is used, a common side product is the formation of butane, which occurs if the alkoxide ion attacks the butyl bromide in a manner that leads to elimination rather than substitution.