Etherification

Etherification

Etherification is the well-known dehydration of an alcohol to form ethers. This is commonly practised with both aliphatic and aromatic alcohols (phenols). In the case of a simple aliphatic alcohol acid catalysis is sufficient to produce the ether.

In more stubborn cases, and many phenols, the Williamson synthesis is used:

Chemoxy produces ethers and uses both technologies, handling raw materials such as alcohols, phenols, alkyl chlorides and aryl chlorides. A particular strength is in the handling of methyl/ethyl chloride for which we have bulk handling facilities.

The generation of an ether in polyethylene glycols, is often referred to as end-capping.

Chemoxy’s skill set, allows the products to be produced in high purity with low water content, often required as part of the ether specification, whether used in pharma, agrochemicals, F&F, electronics or other performance applications.

Chemoxy also offers its own Di-n-butyl ether, which is an efficient and safe replacement for THF in Grignard and other organometallic reactions such as lithiation, metal hydride reduction etc.

Chemoxy can handle alcohols, phenols, aryl chlorides, alkyl chlorides (including MeCl/EtCl) and can make and generate alkoxides as required for the synthesis.

Products are isolated by intensive distillation fractionation, and thus there are benefits in the ability for us to achieve high purity and low water content, but our preference is for liquids, or products that melt below 50°C.