Classification and Structure of Ethers

Ethers are organic compounds in which an oxygen atom bridges two alkyl and/or aryl groups (general form R-O-R'); they can be regarded as hydrocarbon derivatives in which one hydrogen has been replaced by an alkoxy (-OR) or aryloxy (-OAr) group. The general formula of an ALIPHATIC ether is CnH2n+2O. Ethers are classed as SIMPLE (both groups on oxygen identical, e.g. CH3-O-CH3, methoxymethane, or C6H5-O-C6H5, phenoxybenzene/diphenyl ether) or MIXED (the two groups different, e.g. CH3-O-CH(CH3)-CH3, 2-methoxypropane, or C6H5-O-CH3, methoxybenzene/anisole); and, separately, as ALIPHATIC (both groups alkyl), AROMATIC (at least one group aryl), or ARALKYL. The etherial oxygen is sp3-hybridised, just like the -O-H of an alcohol: two sp3 hybrid orbitals of oxygen overlap linearly with an sp3 orbital on each attached carbon to form the two C-O sigma bonds, and the C-O-C bond angle (about 1 …