Discuss the reaction and mechanism of acidic dehydration of ethyl alcohol to prepare ether.

Explanation

Dehydration of `1^@` alcohols like ethanol with conc. `H_2SO_4` at 413 K gives ethers.
For example :
`underset("Ethyl alcohol")(2CH_3CH_2OH) overset("Conc. "H_2SO_4//413K)to underset("Diethylether")(CH_3CH_2-O-CH_2CH_3)`
Mechanism : This is an nucleophilic bimolecular reaction `(SN_2)` as shown below:
`H_2SO_4 harr H^(+) + HSO_4^(-)`
Step : I `underset("Alcohol")(CH_3 -CH-ddotO-H)+ H^(+) rarr CH_3 - CH_2 -underset(H)underset(|)(ddotO^(+))-H`
Step : II
Step : III `CH_3 - CH_2 -underset(H)underset(|)(ddotO^(+))-CH_2-CH_3 rarr underset("Ether H")(CH_3 -CH_2-underset(ddot)(ddotO) -CH_2-CH_3) +H^(+)`