Nomenclature of Ethers

In the common (trivial) system of nomenclature, an ether is named by first writing the names of the two alkyl (or aryl) groups bonded to its oxygen atom in strict alphabetical order, and then adding the separate word 'ether' after them; if both groups happen to be identical, the prefix 'di-' is used instead of writing the group name twice (so CH3-O-CH3 is 'dimethyl ether', not 'methyl methyl ether'). According to the IUPAC system, ethers are instead named systematically as alkoxyalkanes: the LARGER of the two alkyl/aryl groups is treated as the parent alkane (or arene) chain, while the smaller group, together with its bridging oxygen, is expressed as an 'alkoxy' substituent prefix carrying its own numerical locant on that parent chain. Some common alkoxy-group names built this way include ethoxy (CH3-CH2-O-), n-propoxy (CH3-CH2-CH2-O-) and isopropoxy ((CH3)2CH-O-). Worked this way, CH3-O-CH3 becomes methoxymethane, CH3-O-CH2-CH3 becomes methoxyethane, C6H5-O-CH3 (anisole) becomes methoxybenzene, and …