Williamson ether synthesis

The Williamson ether synthesis is an organic reaction, forming an ether from an organohalide and an a deprotonated alcohol (alkoxide). This reaction was developed by Alexander Williamson in 1850. Typically it involves the reaction of an alkoxide ion with a primary alkyl halide via an S_N2 reaction. This reaction is important in the history of organic chemistry because it helped prove the structure of ethers.