Where are the -OH ions from in a substitution reaction between a Haloalkane, Silver Nitrate and Ethanol?

Reactivity of Haloalkanes experiment using Silver Nitrate and Ethanol is a substitution.

The reagents given are 1-bromobutane, 1-chlorobutane, 1-iodobutane, ethanol and silver nitrate solution.

1. Are the haloalkanes undergoing substitution to form alcohols?

2. I thought the conditions substitution required OH-(aq)... but doesn t ethanol change the condition to OH-(alc), which would result in an elimination reaction?

3. Where are the OH-(aq) ions from? Silver nitrate solutio

Question

Where are the -OH ions from in a substitution reaction between a Haloalkane, Silver Nitrate and Ethanol?

Reactivity of Haloalkanes experiment using Silver Nitrate and Ethanol is a substitution. 

The reagents given are 1-bromobutane, 1-chlorobutane, 1-iodobutane, ethanol and silver nitrate solution.

1. Are the haloalkanes undergoing substitution to form alcohols?

2. I thought the conditions substitution required OH-(aq)... but doesn t ethanol change the condition to OH-(alc), which would result in an elimination reaction?

3. Where are the OH-(aq) ions from? Silver nitrate solutio

thadyoung · Answer

It looks as though you have an Sn$_2$ reaction here.