ORGANIC CHEMISTRY Chapter ll o The oxygen of ether linkage makes ether basic Ether can react with proton donors to form oxonium salts HBr R-0-R R-0-R H An oxonium salt R R-OR+ BF3 O:BF R R R R O: Mg: O R R R Department of Chemistry, Xiamen UniversityORGANIC CHEMISTRY Department of Chemistry, Xiamen University Chapter 11 The oxygen of ether linkage makes ether basic. Ether can react with proton donors to form oxonium salts. R O R R O R H HBr An oxonium salt R O R R O R + BF3 R O R Mg R R R O R BF3