---
title: "A student synthesizes diethyl ether, \\(\\text{C}_4\\text{H}_{10}\\text{O}\\) (molar mass \\(74.0\\text{ g/mol}\\)), by heating ethanol, \\(\\text{C}_2\\text{H}_5\\text{OH}\\) (molar mass \\(46.0\\text{ g/mol}\\)), in the presence of an acid catalyst according to the balanced equation below.  \\[ 2\\,\\text{C}_2\\text{H}_5\\text{OH(l)} \\xrightarrow{\\text{H}_2\\text{SO}_4} \\text{C}_4\\text{H}_{10}\\text{O(l)} + \\text{H}_2\\text{O(l)} \\]  The student begins the reaction with \\(92.0\\text{ g}\\) of \\(\\text{C}_2\\text{H}_5\\text{OH}\\). After heating and distillation, a crude liquid mixture with a mass of \\(44.4\\text{ g}\\) is collected. Due to an elimination side reaction and unreacted starting material, the collected mixture contains only \\(75.0\\%\\) \\(\\text{C}_4\\text{H}_{10}\\text{O}\\) by mass. What is the percent yield of \\(\\text{C}_4\\text{H}_{10}\\text{O}\\) in this synthesis?"
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date_modified: "2026-08-21T08:17:22+00:00"
---

# A student synthesizes diethyl ether, \(\text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O}\) (molar mass \(74.0\text{ g/mol}\)), by heating ethanol, \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH}\) (molar mass \(46.0\text{ g/mol}\)), in the presence of an acid catalyst according to the balanced equation below.

\[ 2\,\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH(l)} \xrightarrow{\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4} \text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O(l)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \]

The student begins the reaction with \(92.0\text{ g}\) of \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH}\). After heating and distillation, a crude liquid mixture with a mass of \(44.4\text{ g}\) is collected. Due to an elimination side reaction and unreacted starting material, the collected mixture contains only \(75.0\%\) \(\text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O}\) by mass. What is the percent yield of \(\text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O}\) in this synthesis?

A student synthesizes diethyl ether, \(\text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O}\) (molar mass \(74.0\text{ g/mol}\)), by heating ethanol, \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH}\) (molar mass \(46.0\text{ g/mol}\)), in the presence of an acid catalyst according to the balanced equation below.

\[ 2\,\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH(l)} \xrightarrow{\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4} \text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O(l)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \]

The student begins the reaction with \(92.0\text{ g}\) of \(\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{OH}\). After heating and distillation, a crude liquid mixture with a mass of \(44.4\text{ g}\) is collected. Due to an elimination side reaction and unreacted starting material, the collected mixture contains only \(75.0\%\) \(\text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O}\) by mass. What is the percent yield of \(\text{C}_4\text{H}_{10}\text{O}\) in this synthesis?

- **A.** \(45.0\%\)
- **B.** \(60.0\%\)
- **C.** \(75.0\%\)
- **D.** \(90.0\%\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119913/*