Introduction:

Ethyl methyl ether (also known as methoxyethane) is an organic compound with the formula CH3OCH2CH3. It is an ether that can be prepared through various methods, including bimolecular dehydration. However, bimolecular dehydration is not an appropriate method for the preparation of ethyl methyl ether due to several reasons.

Explanation:

Lack of Suitable Reactants:
Bimolecular dehydration involves the removal of water (H2O) from two molecules to form a new compound. In the case of ethyl methyl ether, the reactants required for bimolecular dehydration would be ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and methanol (CH3OH). However, these reactants do not undergo dehydration to form ethyl methyl ether under normal conditions. Instead, they predominantly undergo intermolecular dehydration to form diethyl ether.

Competition from Diethyl Ether Formation:
When ethanol and methanol are subjected to dehydration conditions, they primarily undergo intermolecular dehydration to form diethyl ether (CH3CH2OCH2CH3). This is due to the higher stability of diethyl ether compared to ethyl methyl ether. The reaction between ethanol and methanol takes place as follows:
CH3CH2OH + CH3OH → CH3CH2OCH2CH3 + H2O

Higher Reactivity of Alcohols:
Alcohols, such as ethanol and methanol, are more reactive towards dehydration than ethers. This is because alcohols contain a hydroxyl (-OH) group, which is a good leaving group. In contrast, ethers do not have a leaving group, making them less reactive towards dehydration. Therefore, even if ethyl methyl ether were to be formed through bimolecular dehydration, the reaction would be sluggish and inefficient.

Alternative Methods:
There are alternative methods for the preparation of ethyl methyl ether that are more suitable and efficient. One common method involves the reaction between methanol and ethyl chloride in the presence of a base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH). This method, known as Williamson ether synthesis, allows for the direct formation of ethyl methyl ether without the need for dehydration.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, bimolecular dehydration is not appropriate for the preparation of ethyl methyl ether due to the lack of suitable reactants, competition from diethyl ether formation, and the higher reactivity of alcohols. Alternative methods, such as Williamson ether synthesis, are more suitable for the efficient synthesis of ethyl methyl ether.