Question

When alkyl halide is heated with dry $A{g_2}O$ it produces.
(A) Ester
(B) Ether
(C) Ketone
(D) Alcohol.

Answer 1

Hint: Alkyl halides are halogen derivatives and they generally show nucleophilic substitution reaction. It is a kind of nucleophilic substitution reaction only.

Complete step by step answer:
When alkyl halide is treated with dry $A{g_2}O$ in the presence of heat, then it will give ether and silver halide act as a by-product. The reaction is shown below:
General reaction is given as:
$2R - X\left( {alkylhalide} \right) + dryA{g_2}O\xrightarrow{\Delta }R - O - R\left( {ether} \right) + 2AgX\left( {silverhalide} \right)$
Or
$
2C{H_3}C{H_2} - Cl\left( {chloroethane} \right) + dryA{g_2}O\left( {silveroxide} \right)\xrightarrow{\Delta }C{H_3} - C{H_2} - O - C{H_2}C{H_3}\left( {diethylether} \right) + 2AgCl\left( {silverchloride} \right) \downarrow \\
    \\
$
Only primary alkyl halides are best because they give primarily substitution reactions (ether formation).

Hence, the correct option is (B).

Additional information: Alkyl halide is boiled with moist silver oxide; it undergoes hydrolysis to form alcohol. (Since silver hydroxide does not exist. So, silver oxide suspended in water acts as silver hydroxide). For example: When ethyl bromide is boiled with moist silver oxide, it undergoes hydrolysis to form ethyl alcohol. It is because moist silver oxide releases hydroxide ions in low concentration as silver hydroxide is a weak base. Due to low concentration of hydroxide ions, the probability of elimination reaction reduces. Williamson ether synthesis is an organic reaction, forming an ether from an organic halide and a deprotonated alcohol. It involves the reaction of an alkoxide ion with a primary alkyl halide by a bimolecular nucleophilic substitution reaction. Silver oxide is the chemical compound with the formula $A{g_2}O$. It is a fine black or dark brown powder that is used to prepare other silver compounds.

Note:
When haloalkanes are heated with dry silver oxides it forms symmetrical ethers as well as asymmetric ethers by undergoing bi-molecular nucleophilic substitution reactions. Students must remember that changing the dry silver oxide to moist form will produce alcohol, so they must be careful about the reagent and the medium in which it is taken.