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Why are ethers cleaved by acids and not by bases?

Why are ethers cleaved by acids and not by bases?

Grade:11

1 Answers

Sanjeev Malik IIT BHU
101 Points
12 years ago

ethers hv formula R--O--R'. see that nucleophiles and bases hv no place to attack on ethers which may be favourable to them as they contain negative charges or source of electrons. bcoz there is already O with its lone pair so it can be attacted by a positive centre(eletrophile or acid) or donate its lone pair.

so ethers r generally less reactive(only with some acids) and resist attact by bases n nucleophiles.

they r good solvents as they solvate cations of the material by donating lone pair of oxygen and it ets hydrolysed.

 

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