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Preparation of Alcohols from alkyl halides

Alkyl halides are hydrolysed to the corresponding alcohols on boiling with aqueous alkali (NaOH or KOH) or moist silver oxide (Ag₂O).

RX + NaOH --------> R-OH + NaX
CH₃Br + NaOH -----------> CH₃OH + NaBr

Primary alkyl halides give a high yield of alcohols. But tertiary alkyl halides get dehydrogenated into alkenes.