Final answer:
Bimolecular dehydration generally forms symmetrical ethers like diethyl ether and is not suited for creating mixed ethers such as ethyl methyl ether, owing to lower reaction rates and the formation of by-products.
Step-by-step explanation:
Bimolecular dehydration is not appropriate for the preparation of ethyl methyl ether because this process tends to be more favorable for forming symmetrical ethers like diethyl ether, rather than mixed ethers. In bimolecular dehydration, two identical alcohol molecules, such as ethanol, react in the presence of a dehydrating agent like concentrated sulfuric acid at a specific temperature, typically around 140 degrees Celsius. During this reaction, the entire OH group of one ethanol molecule and only the hydrogen atom of the OH group of the second ethanol molecule are removed, forming water and diethyl ether, which consists of two ethyl groups attached to an oxygen atom. The reaction does not favor the formation of ethyl methyl ether because the different sizes and electronic environments of ethyl and methyl groups lead to lower reaction rates and potential difficulties in obtaining a pure product. Additionally, mixed ethers can be more challenging to synthesize due to competing side reactions and the formation of unwanted by-products.