IUPAC system and IUPAC rules of naming ethers

Common names of ethers follow after the names of alkyl / aryl groups written as separate words in alphabetical order. The word ether is added at the end.

In case of simple ethers, the prefix di is attached before the name of the alkyl group.

Examples:

C₂H₅ - O - C₂H₅ is Diethyl ether

C₆H₅ - O - C₆H₅ is Diphenyl ether

C₂H₅ - O - C₆H₅ is Dthyl phenyl ether.

According to the IUPAC nomenclature ethers are regarded as hydrocarbon derivatives in which a hydrogen atom is replaced by an alkoxy group - OR, the larger group (R) being chosen as the parent hydrocarbon. Ethers are named as alkoxyalkenes. The larger alkyl group forms the part of parent chain while lower alkyl group constitutes the alkoxy radical.

Examples:

The numbering of the parent chain is done so that the carbon atom linked to the -O-atom gets the lowest number.