Editing Ether (section)

==Nomenclature==
In the [[IUPAC Nomenclature]] system, ethers are named using the general formula ''"alkoxyalkane"'', for example CH<sub>3</sub>–CH<sub>2</sub>–O–CH<sub>3</sub> is [[methoxyethane]]. If the ether is part of a more-complex molecule, it is described as an alkoxy substituent, so –OCH<sub>3</sub> would be considered a ''"[[methoxy]]-"'' group. The simpler [[alkyl]] radical is written in front, so CH<sub>3</sub>–O–CH<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>3</sub> would be given as ''methoxy''(CH<sub>3</sub>O)''ethane''(CH<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>3</sub>).

===Trivial name===
IUPAC rules are often not followed for simple ethers. The trivial names for simple ethers (i.e., those with none or few other functional groups) are a composite of the two substituents followed by "ether". For example, ethyl methyl ether (CH<sub>3</sub>OC<sub>2</sub>H<sub>5</sub>), diphenylether (C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>OC<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>). As for other organic compounds, very common ethers acquired names before rules for nomenclature were formalized. Diethyl ether is simply called ether, but was once called ''sweet oil of vitriol''. Methyl phenyl ether is [[anisole]], because it was originally found in [[aniseed]]. The [[aromatic]] ethers include [[furan]]s. [[Acetal]]s (α-alkoxy ethers R–CH(–OR)–O–R) are another class of ethers with characteristic properties.

===Polyethers===

Polyethers are generally [[polymer]]s containing ether linkages in their main chain. The term [[polyol]] generally refers to polyether polyols with one or more functional [[end-group]]s such as a [[hydroxyl]] group. The term "oxide" or other terms are used for high molar mass polymer when end-groups no longer affect polymer properties.

[[Crown ether]]s are cyclic polyethers. Some toxins produced by [[dinoflagellate]]s such as [[brevetoxin]] and [[ciguatoxin]] are extremely large and are known as ''cyclic'' or ''ladder'' polyethers.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Aliphatic polyethers
|-
! Name of the polymers with low to medium molar mass !! Name of the polymers with high molar mass !! Preparation !! Repeating unit !! Examples of trade names
|-
| [[Paraformaldehyde]] || [[Polyoxymethylene plastic|Polyoxymethylene]] (POM) or polyacetal or polyformaldehyde || [[Step-growth polymerisation]] of [[formaldehyde]] || –CH<sub>2</sub>O– || Delrin from [[DuPont]]
|-
| [[Polyethylene glycol]] (PEG) || Polyethylene oxide (PEO) or polyoxyethylene (POE) || [[Ring-opening polymerization]] of [[ethylene oxide]]|| –CH<sub>2</sub>CH<sub>2</sub>O– || Carbowax from [[Dow Chemical Company|Dow]]
|-
| [[Polypropylene glycol]] (PPG) || Polypropylene oxide (PPOX) or polyoxypropylene (POP) || anionic ring-opening polymerization of [[propylene oxide]] || –CH<sub>2</sub>CH(CH<sub>3</sub>)O– || Arcol from [[Covestro]]
|-
| Polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG) or Polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) || [[Polytetrahydrofuran]] (PTHF) || Acid-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of [[tetrahydrofuran]]|| {{chem2|\sCH2CH2CH2CH2O\s}} || Terathane from [[Invista]] and PolyTHF from [[BASF]]
|}

The phenyl ether polymers are a class of [[aromatic compound|aromatic]] polyethers containing aromatic cycles in their main chain: [[polyphenyl ether]] (PPE) and [[Poly(p-phenylene oxide)|poly(''p''-phenylene oxide)]] (PPO).

===Related compounds===
Many classes of compounds with C–O–C linkages are not considered ethers: [[Ester]]s (R–C(=O)–O–R′), [[hemiacetal]]s (R–CH(–OH)–O–R′), [[carboxylic acid anhydride]]s (RC(=O)–O–C(=O)R′).

There are compounds which, instead of [[carbon|C]] in the {{chem2|C\sO\sC}} linkage, contain heavier [[group 14]] [[chemical elements]] (e.g., [[silicon|Si]], [[germanium|Ge]], [[tin|Sn]], [[lead|Pb]]). Such compounds are considered ethers as well. Examples of such ethers are [[silyl enol ether]]s {{chem2|R3Si\sO\sCR\dCR2}} (containing the {{chem2|Si\sO\sC}} linkage), [[disiloxane]] {{chem2|H3Si\sO\sSiH3}} (the other name of this compound is disilyl ether, containing the {{chem2|Si\sO\sSi}} linkage) and [[stannoxane]]s {{chem2|R3Sn\sO\sSnR3}} (containing the {{chem2|Sn\sO\sSn}} linkage).