Question

How do you make ether?

Answer 1

If you mean diethyl ether, it is usually produced as a by product of the manufacture of ethanol by hydration of ethylene.......

Explanation:

However, in the laboratory it is also possible to produce it by mixing ethanol with sulphuric acid. The acid dissociates to form hydroxonium ions (`H_3O^+`). These cause the oxygen atom of he hydroxyl group in ethanol to undergo protonation. This forms an electrophilic centre which then reacts with other hydroxyl oxygen atoms (which are nucleophiles) causing water to be displaced, and forming diethyl ether (and a hydrogen ion).

`CH_3CH_2OH` + `H_3O`+ → `CH_3CH_2OH_2^+` + `H_2O`

`CH_3CH_2OH_2^+` + `CH_3CH_2OH` → `H_2O` + `H^+` + `CH_3CH_2-O-CH_2CH_3`