WilliamsonEthersynthese
WilliamsonEthersynthese, commonly known as the Williamson ether synthesis, is a foundational method in organic chemistry for forming ethers by nucleophilic substitution. The reaction is named after Alexander Williamson, who developed it in the 19th century. It enables the preparation of asymmetric ethers by coupling an alkoxide with an alkyl halide or other good leaving group.
The mechanism involves first generating an alkoxide ion from an alcohol by deprotonation with a strong base
Scope and limitations include strong utility for generating many aryl-alkyl and dialkyl ethers, but limitations arise
Practical notes emphasize dry, anhydrous conditions and often a two-step sequence: formation of the alkoxide, followed