Esters and Ethers
The major distinguishing factor between ether and ester is that in ether there is two carbon atoms and in between one oxygen atom is present and there is no double bond present between oxygen and carbon atoms whereas in ester two carbon atoms is present with two oxygen atoms between them and one oxygen forming double bond with carbon atom.
- Formula of Ether is R-O-R
- Formula of Ester is R-COOR
The difference between Ester and Ether is tabulated below:
Difference Between Ethers and Esters |
|
---|---|
Ethers |
Esters |
In this an oxygen atom forms single bonds with two carbon atoms separately. |
In this a carbonyl group is bonded to ether functional group. |
General formula- R-O-R’ |
General formula- RCOOR’ |
Their boiling and melting points are less. |
Their melting and boiling points are high. |
They are derived from alcohols. |
They are derived from carboxylic acids. |
They are less reactive than esters. |
They are more reactive than ethers. |
They are non polar in nature. |
They are polar in nature. |
They have only sigma bonds. |
They have sigma and pi bonds. |
Example- CH3-O-CH3 (dimethyl ether) |
Example- CH3COOCH3 (methyl acetate) |
Ethers
Ethers are the class of Organic Compounds in which the alkyl groups are linked to each other with an Oxygen atom. In organic chemistry, Ethers are derived from alcohols. If hydrogen is replaced by an alkyl or aryl group then there is a new class of compounds formed known as ethers.
In this article, we will learn what Ether is, what is structure of Ether, how to do the Nomenclature of Ether, what are the physical and chemical properties of Ether, and the distinction between Ether and Ester in detail.
Table of Content
- What is Ether?
- Structure of Ethers
- IUPAC Naming of Ethers
- Types of Ethers
- Synthesis of Ethers
- Esters and Ethers