Question

What is the action of the following on ethyl bromide?

moist silver oxide

Answer 1

When ethyl bromide is heated with moist silver oxide, it gives diethyl ether. Moist silver oxide releases hydroxide ions in low concentration as silver hydroxide is a weak base.

Due to the low concentration of hydroxide ions the probability of elimination reaction reduces. When the concentration is higher, it gives ethyl alcohol as the product.

\[\ce{2C2H5Br + Ag2O->C2H5 - O - C2H5 + 2AgBr}\]

\[\ce{Ag2O + H2O -> AgOH}\]

\[\ce{AgOH + 2C2H5OH -> \underset{Ethanol}{C2H5OH} + AgBr}\]