Synthesizing ethers via acid-catalyzed condensation reactions has limited usefulness. The conditions (sulfuric acid and heat) arealso conducive to elimination products. Primary alcohols willundergo dehydration to ethers at lower temperatures thandehydration to alkenes. Secondary and tertiary alcohols will givepredominantly alkene products at the same temperature primaryalcohols condense to give ethers. Primary alcohol condensation toethers is also only useful when the ether is symmetric. The following question is to demonstrate the mess you would get if you tried to synthesize an asymmetric ether via acid-catalyzeddehydration.
What two alcohols would you useif your goal was to synthesize butyl hexyl ether via acid-catalyzeddehydration of two alcohols?