What are the major products obtained upon treatment of tert-butyl methyl ether with excess HI?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Upon treatment of tert-butyl methyl ether (TBME) with excess HI, the ether undergoes acid-catalyzed hydrolysis to form tert-butanol and methyl iodide. The tert-butanol then undergoes further reaction with HI to form tert-butyl iodide, as it is more stable than tert-butanol in the presence of the acid. The overall reaction can be represented as:
TBME + 2HI → tert-butanol + methyl iodide
tert-butanol + HI → tert-butyl iodide + water
Therefore, the major products obtained are tert-butyl iodide and methyl iodide, i.e., choice B.

What Are the Major Products Obtained Upon Treatment of Tert-Butyl