Ethers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group, which is an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups/Ethers)/18%3A_Ethers_and_Epoxides_Thiols_and_Sulfides/18.01%3A_Names_and_Properties_of_Ethers). They have the general formula R−O−R′, where R and R′ represent the alkyl or aryl groups. Ethers can be classified into two varieties: simple or symmetrical ethers, where the alkyl or aryl groups are the same on both sides of the oxygen atom, and mixed or unsymmetrical ethers, where they are different.
Ethers are commonly used as solvents for fats, oils, waxes, perfumes, resins, dyes, gums, and hydrocarbons. They are also used in medicine and pharmacology, especially as anesthetics. For example, diethyl ether, commonly referred to as "ether," was first used as a surgical anesthetic in 1842.
Ethers are generally less dense than alcohols, are less soluble in water, and have lower boiling points/18%3A_Ethers_and_Epoxides_Thiols_and_Sulfides/18.01%3A_Names_and_Properties_of_Ethers). They are relatively unreactive, and their boiling points are much lower than alcohols with similar mass/18%3A_Ethers_and_Epoxides_Thiols_and_Sulfides/18.01%3A_Names_and_Properties_of_Ethers). Despite the presence of a small dipole moment, ethers have boiling points that are about the same as alkanes of comparable molar mass/18%3A_Ethers_and_Epoxides_Thiols_and_Sulfides/18.01%3A_Names_and_Properties_of_Ethers).
Ethers are named simply by the names of two alkyl/aryl groups bonded to oxygen and adding the word ether/18%3A_Ethers_and_Epoxides_Thiols_and_Sulfides/18.01%3A_Names_and_Properties_of_Ethers). Common names of ethers give the names of the two alkyl groups bonded to oxygen and add the word ether. The current practice is to list the alkyl groups in alphabetical order.
