Alkyl ethers

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Alkyl ethers
General structure of ethers
R 1 and R 2 are organyl groups , at least one of these radicals being an alkyl group. The oxygen atom of the ether is marked in blue .

In chemistry, organic compounds are referred to as alkyl ethers (outdated alkyl ethers ) which have an ether group as a functional group - an oxygen atom that is substituted by two organyl radicals (R 1 –O – R 2 ) Alkyl group (methyl, ethyl etc.).

Diaryl ethers (e.g. diphenyl ether) and allyl phenyl ether (starting material for the Cope rearrangement ) do not count among the alkyl ethers.

Examples

Monoalkyl ethers

  • Anisole (methyl phenyl ether) is the simplest example of an alkyl ether that is also an aryl ether (more precisely phenyl ether).

Dialkyl ethers

If both radicals on the oxygen bridge are aliphatic , these ethers are referred to as dialkyl ethers or, according to IUPAC, also as alkoxyalkanes .

  • Dimethyl ether (H 3 C – O – CH 3 ), is of practical importance as a propellant in spray cans.
  • Diethyl ether (H 5 C 2 –O – C 2 H 5 ) - the most well-known alkyl ether, which is often called ether in everyday life .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Axel Zeeck: Chemie für Mediziner , 6th edition, Elsevier, Urban & FischerVerlag, 2006, ISBN 978-3-43744435-7 , p. 215.