Final answer:
Ethers can be converted to alkyl halides through the Williamson ether synthesis, which involves the reaction of an ether with a strong acid and an alkyl halide. The mechanism of this reaction includes the formation of a carbocation intermediate.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethers can be converted to alkyl halides through a process called the Williamson ether synthesis. In this reaction, an ether reacts with a strong acid and an alkyl halide to form an alkyl halide and an alcohol. The mechanism involves the formation of a carbocation intermediate. The acid protonates the ether oxygen, creating a good leaving group and facilitating the attack of the nucleophilic halide ion on the alkyl group. The result is the substitution of the ether oxygen with a halogen.