Final answer:
Ethers can be cleaved using strong acids such as HCl, HBr, or HI. These acids convert the ether into a good leaving group, enabling nucleophilic substitution to produce alcohols and alkyl halides.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ethers can be cleaved by reacting with strong acids such as HCl, HBr, or HI. In these reactions, the ether oxygen is protonated by the acid, converting the ether into a good leaving group. This enables nucleophilic substitution to occur, resulting in the formation of alcohols and alkyl halides. For example, when an ether reacts with hydrobromic acid (HBr), it is cleaved into an alcohol and an alkyl bromide. The process involves the initial protonation of the ether to form a more reactive oxonium ion, which then undergoes substitution with the nucleophilic bromide ion.