Ether Reactions and Crown Ethers Quiz

What is the primary reaction that ethers undergo?

• Free radical substitution

• Acidic cleavage

• Nucleophilic substitution

• Electrophilic addition

How are crown ethers named?

• By the total number of atoms and the number of oxygen atoms

• By the number of oxygen atoms only

• By the number of carbon atoms only

• By the size of the cation they solvate

Which crown ether is suitable for solvating potassium ions?

• 21-crown-7

• 12-crown-4

• 15-crown-5

• 18-crown-6

Why are crown ethers useful in SN2 reactions?

• They act as catalysts

• They make ionic compounds soluble in low polarity solvents

• They prevent side reactions

• They increase the polarity of the solvent

What happens to ethers in the presence of strong acids like HCl, HBr, or HI?

• They undergo acidic cleavage

• They undergo polymerization

• They form alcohols

• They form esters

What is the first step in the mechanism of acidic cleavage of ethers?

• Formation of an alkyl halide

• Nucleophilic attack by halide

• Protonation of the ether

• Formation of a carbocation

In the acidic cleavage of ethers, what type of reaction mechanism is preferred when the adjacent carbon is secondary?

• E1

• E2

• SN2

• SN1

Why can't the carbon-oxygen bond in phenyl ethers be broken?

• The reaction is endothermic

• The carbon is sp2 hybridized

• The ether is too bulky

• The bond is too strong

What is the product when a phenyl ether undergoes acidic cleavage?

• Two alkyl halides

• Phenol and an alkyl halide

• Two alcohols

• An ester and water

What is a key limitation of phenyl ethers in reactions?

• They cannot form carbocations

• They cannot undergo SN1 or SN2 reactions

• They are insoluble in water

• They are too reactive