Question

Name the products obtained when hot hydrogen iodide react with benzyl ethyl ether at high temperature?

• A. Ethanol and Benzyl Iodide
• B. Ethyliodide and Benzyl alcohol
• C. Ethyliodide and Phenol
• D. (a) and (b) above.

Answer 1

The correct option is A Ethanol and Benzyl Iodide

Ethers can be reactive under ​drastic reaction conditions (high temperature, high concentration) due to the cleavage of the C-O bond.​
In first step of the reaction, protonation of ether $\left(O\right)$ group take place.
In second step, $I^{-}$ will undergo $S_{N}2$ nucleophilic attack.
The reaction of Benzyl ethyl ether is with hot concentrated HI give Ethanol and Benzyl iodide. Hence option (a) is correct. The reaction is as shown below: