[DrCMS]

Imagine you have a pocket full of black and white marbles. You take two at random. Do you expect to draw always two identical ones?

I rather liked this example. I wish I had thought of it. I thought it explained getting a mixture of products without telling the poster he would get a mixture of products.

Yeh but it seems even telling them the actual answer has not got the message across. 

I got sick of watching you all being helpful while Moneyking did not try to understand at all.

[Moneyking]

Imagine you have a pocket full of black and white marbles. You take two at random. Do you expect to draw always two identical ones?

I rather liked this example. I wish I had thought of it. I thought it explained getting a mixture of products without telling the poster he would get a mixture of products.

Yeh but it seems even telling them the actual answer has not got the message across. 

I got sick of watching you all being helpful while Moneyking did not try to understand at all.

I am trying to understand, but i just don't get it?!?

[Borek]

Any two alcohol molecules can react producing ether.

If you have just one alcohol, every time two molecules react they are identical, so what is produced is a diX ether - be it diethyl or dimethyl (two white marbles when all marbles are white, or two black marbles when all marbles are black).

But if you have a mixture of both alcohols, two molecules that react can be either identical (two whites or two blacks) or two different (white and black), so there are three possible products.

[Moneyking]

Any two alcohol molecules can react producing ether.

If you have just one alcohol, every time two molecules react they are identical, so what is produced is a diX ether - be it diethyl or dimethyl (two white marbles when all marbles are white, or two black marbles when all marbles are black).

But if you have a mixture of both alcohols, two molecules that react can be either identical (two whites or two blacks) or two different (white and black), so there are three possible products.

k, so um can you just show me how ethanol + methanol + sufuric acid = methoxyethane + dimethy ether + diethyl ether?

what happens to the Sulphur? what about the Carbons, where do they come from?

[Arkcon]

k, so um can you just show me how ethanol + methanol + sufuric acid = methoxyethane + dimethy ether + diethyl ether?

what happens to the Sulphur? what about the Carbons, where do they come from?

To answer those questions, you will have to start with a simpler question.  Consider: just methanol and sulfuric acid.  You know they form dimethyl ether.  Try to complete the reaction yourself, if you want to know where the sulfur goes.  Try to draw the structure of methanol and dimethyl ether, if you're having trouble keeping track of the carbons.

[Moneyking]

k, so um can you just show me how ethanol + methanol + sufuric acid = methoxyethane + dimethy ether + diethyl ether?

what happens to the Sulphur? what about the Carbons, where do they come from?

To answer those questions, you will have to start with a simpler question.  Consider: just methanol and sulfuric acid.  You know they form dimethyl ether.  Try to complete the reaction yourself, if you want to know where the sulfur goes.  Try to draw the structure of methanol and dimethyl ether, if you're having trouble keeping track of the carbons.

dimethyl ether has 2 carbons, and methanol has only 1 carbon, where does the other carbon come from?!?

[Borek]

dimethyl ether has 2 carbons, and methanol has only 1 carbon, where does the other carbon come from?!?

You have already shown you know how ethers are produced:

methanol+ethanol = methoxyethane + H2O

so you know answer to your question.

You are just trolling now.

Topic locked.