34.2k views
4 votes
Can ethers be hydrolyzed in mildly acidic conditions?

User Lafi
by
7.6k points

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

Yes, ethers can be hydrolyzed in mildly acidic conditions. Acidic hydrolysis involves breaking the ether bond using an acid catalyst.

Step-by-step explanation:

Yes, ethers can be hydrolyzed in mildly acidic conditions. Acidic hydrolysis of ethers involves breaking the ether bond using an acid catalyst. The acidic conditions protonate the oxygen atom in the ether, making it more susceptible to attack by water molecules. This process results in the formation of an alcohol and an acid as the products.

User Yasuyuki
by
8.3k points