Editing Ether (section)

==Structure and bonding==
Ethers feature bent {{chem2|C\sO\sC}} linkages. In [[dimethyl ether]], the [[Molecular geometry#Bonding|bond angle]] is 111° and C–O distances are 141&nbsp;[[Picometre|pm]].<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1039/b405684a|title=Dichlorosilane–Dimethyl Ether Aggregation: A New Motif in Halosilane Adduct Formation|year=2004|last1= Vojinović|first1=Krunoslav|last2=Losehand|first2=Udo|last3=Mitzel|first3=Norbert W.|journal=Dalton Trans.|issue=16|pages=2578–2581|pmid=15303175}}</ref> The barrier to rotation about the C–O bonds is low. The bonding of oxygen in ethers, alcohols, and water is similar. In the language of [[valence bond theory]], the hybridization at oxygen is sp<sup>3</sup>.

Oxygen is more [[Electronegativity|electronegative]] than carbon, thus the alpha hydrogens of ethers are more acidic than those of simple hydrocarbons. They are far less acidic than alpha hydrogens of carbonyl groups (such as in [[ketones]] or [[aldehydes]]), however.

Ethers can be symmetrical of the type ROR or unsymmetrical of the type ROR'. Examples of the former are [[dimethyl ether]], [[diethyl ether]], [[dipropyl ether]] etc. Illustrative unsymmetrical ethers are [[anisole]] (methoxybenzene) and [[dimethoxyethane]].

===Vinyl- and acetylenic ethers===
Vinyl- and acetylenic ethers are far less common than alkyl or aryl ethers. Vinylethers, often called [[enol ether]]s, are important intermediates in [[organic synthesis]]. Acetylenic ethers are especially rare. [[Di-tert-butoxyacetylene]] is the most common example of this rare class of compounds.