Question

Why ethers are inert in nature ?

Answer 1

Dear student1
Ethers are chemically inert toward most substances, especially bases and alkali metals. Because of their weak basicity, which results from the presence of non bonded electron pairs on the oxygen atom, they form oxonium compounds when reacted with mineral acids and Lewis acids.

It is inert in comparison with alcohol because, alcohol has actvated O-H bond but in ether both the bonds of oxygen atom are attached with alkyl group and so it becomes generally difficult to attack on such species and so it is less reactive but it also reacts with various reagents.