In a preparation of a methyl phenyl ether from phenol and methyl iodide the crude product may contain unreacted phenol. how would you proceed to remove this?

1 Answer
anor277
Dec 2, 2017

Give it a wash with dilute sodium hydroxide...

Explanation:

Phenol is fairly acidic in that the phenoxide anion is reasonance-stabilized. A wash with dilute base should remove it from the organic phase, and confine it to the aqueous phase. The methyl phenyl ether will be confined to the organic phase...

#PhOHstackrel(NaOH"/"H_2O)rarrPhO^(-)Na^(+)+H_2O#

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