Reliably Regioselective Dialkyl Ether Cleavage with Mixed Boron Trihalides
Bren Jordan P Atienza1, Nam Truong1, Florence J Williams1
1Department of Chemistry , University of Alberta , Edmonton , AB , Canada T6G 2G2.
Abstract:
A protocol for the regioselective cleavage of unsymmetrical alkyl ethers to generate alkyl alcohol and alkyl bromide products is described. A mixture of trihaloboranes triggers this conversion and exhibits improved reactivity profiles (regioselectivity and yield) compared with BBr3 alone. Additionally, this procedure allows the efficient synthesis of (B-Cl) dialkyl boronate esters. There are limited methods to generate acyclic dialkoxyboryl chlorides, and these intermediates constitute important synthons in main-group chemistry.
Related Concept Videos
Ethers to Alkyl Halides: Acidic Cleavage
Cleavage and Blastulation
Reliability and Validity
Ethers from Alcohols: Alcohol Dehydration and Williamson Ether Synthesis
Ethers can be prepared from organic compounds by various methods. Some of them are discussed below,
Preparation of Ethers by Alcohol Dehydration
In this method, in the presence of protic acids, alcohol dehydrates to produce alkenes and ethers under different conditions. For example, in the presence of sulphuric acid, dehydration of ethanol at 413 K yields ethoxyethane, whereas it yields ethene at 443 K.
Crown Ethers
Structure and Nomenclature of Ethers
Ethers are organic compounds with an ether functional group which is characterized by an oxygen atom connected to two — identical or different — alkyl, aryl, or vinyl groups. The C–O–C linkage in dimethyl ether — the simplest ether — has an approximately tetrahedral bond angle of 110.3 degrees. The oxygen atom is sp3- hybridized, with the C–O distance being about 140 pm.
Classification of Ethers
Based on their attached substituent...


