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Multiple Choice
Predict the major, organic product for the following reaction.
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Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the starting material and reagents: The starting material is phenol (C6H5OH), and the reagents are NaOH and ethyl chloride (CH3CH2Cl).
Understand the role of NaOH: NaOH is a strong base that will deprotonate the phenol, forming the phenoxide ion (C6H5O-). This ion is a good nucleophile.
Consider the reaction with ethyl chloride: The phenoxide ion will attack the ethyl chloride in a nucleophilic substitution reaction, specifically an SN2 mechanism, where the chloride ion (Cl-) is the leaving group.
Predict the product of the reaction: The nucleophilic attack by the phenoxide ion on the ethyl chloride will result in the formation of ethyl phenyl ether (C6H5OCH2CH3).
Verify the reaction type and conditions: This is a Williamson ether synthesis, which typically involves an alkoxide ion reacting with a primary alkyl halide under basic conditions to form an ether.