Depto. Química Orgánica

NOMENCLATURE OF ETHERS

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15/07/2017
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Ethers can be regarded al alkanes bearing an alkoxy (RO-) substituent.
The largest alkane part - main chain- gives the name to the alkane part, the shortest alkane part giving the name to the alkoxy group.
1-Methoxypropane
(Methyl propyl ether)		2-Methyl-2-ethoxybutanecis-1,3-dimethoxycyclohexane
Cyclic ethers are named using the 'oxa' prefix.
'Epoxides' are a special and important case.
1,4,7,10-tetraoxacyclododecane2-Methyloxacyclopropane
(Propylene oxide)
Ethers are in general very low reactive species - exception made of the 'epoxides' - and they are usually employed as solvents, the more common ones being:
Ethoxyethane
(Diethyl ether)
(Ethyl ether)
B.p. = 35ºC		Oxacyclopentane
(Tetrahydrofurane)
B.p. = 67ºC		1,4-Dioxacyclohexane
(1,4-Dioxane)
B.p. = 101ºC
Dimethoxyethane
(Glycol dimethyl ether)
(Glyme)
B.p. = 85ºC		1,5-Dimethoxy-3-oxapentane
[Bis(2-methoxiethyl) ether]
(Diglyme)
B.p. = 162ºC