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Grade 12th passOrganic Chemistry

Aliphatic ethers are purified by shaking with a solution of ferrous salt to remove ……….............. which are formed on prolonged standing in contact with air.

Profile image of Amanat
12 Years agoGrade 12th pass
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Profile image of Kevin Nash
12 Years ago

peroxides. On standing in contact with air, ethers are converted into unstable peroxides (R base 2O ? O) which are highly explosive even in low concentrations. Hence ether is always purified before distillation. Purification (removal of peroxides) can be done by washing ether with a solution of ferrous salt (which reduces peroxides to alcohols) or by distillation with conc. H base 2SO base 4 (which oxidises proxides)