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Alcohols, Phenols And Ethers

Question
CBSEENCH12008298

Write the mechanism of the reaction of HI with methoxymethane.

Solution

Mechanism: The cleavage of ethers by halogen acids occur by the following mechanism.
Step 1. Ethers being Lewis basis, undergo protonation to form oxonium salts:

Step 2. The protonated ether thus formed undergoes nucleophilic attack by the halide ion to form a molecule of an alkyl halide and a molecule of an alcohol.