[sector9tahiti]

Dimethyl ether (CH₃OCH₃) can be prepared by heating methanol in concentrated H₂SO₄. Provide a detailed, stepwise mechanism for the process.

I think i know the answer but i dont know if it is possible..

If you have two methanols and one of them loses their OH group and the other just loses the H from their OH group then they combined wouldnt that leave you with CH₃OCH₃ and H₂O

[sector9tahiti]

nevermind i figured it out... you take a H from the H₂SO₄ and remove an OH group from the methanol. Then the another methanol loses its H from the OH and it goes the the HSO₄^-. Then the two methanols combined.. I THINK?!?!

[plankk]

I think that better explanation is when methanol attacks protonate methanol and water is a leaving group (the mechanism S_N2). Then HSO₄^- takes H⁺ from protonate ether.