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Diethyl Ether is an organic compound with the chemical formula (C2H5)2O. It is a member of a large group of organic compounds called ethers.
- It is the most popular and commonly known ether.
- Diethyl Ether is commonly known as Ether or Ethyl Ether.
- It is a flammable, volatile, and colourless liquid with a sweet-smelling odour.
- Valerius Cordus, a German physician and botanist, is credited with the discovery of ether.
- It is used as an aprotic solvent in laboratories and as a starting fluid for some engines.
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Key Terms: Diethyl Ether, Ether, Organic Compounds, Ethanol, Sulphuric Acid, Halogenation, Solvent, Ethyl Alcohol, Oxygen
What is Diethyl Ether?
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Diethyl ether is an organic compound made up of two carbon atoms connected by an oxygen atom.
- The chemical formula of Diethyl Ether is (C2H5)2O.
- The structure of Diethyl ether can be represented as (C-O-C).
- It is a highly flammable, colourless volatile liquid with an ethereal odour.
- The IUPAC name of diethyl ether is Ethoxyethane.
- It was first synthesized in the year 1540 by Valerius Cordus by distilling a mixture of ethanol and sulfuric acid.
Read More:
| Relevant Concepts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ether Preparation | Properties of Ether | Claisen Rearrangement |
| Alcohols Phenols and Ethers | Classification of Alcohols Phenols and Ethers | Nomenclature of Alcohols Phenols and Ethers |
Structure of Diethyl Ether
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Diethyl Ether is a member of the class of ethers, which is a large group of organic compounds.
- It is commonly referred to as ethyl ether.
- It is a chemical molecule with the formula (C2H5)2O.
- Diethyl ether is expressed using the structure R-O-R.
- R denotes the alkyl group (C2H5), and O stands for the oxygen atom.
The structure of Diethyl Ether is given below:
Preparation of Diethyl Ether
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Diethyl Ether is generally prepared by the dehydration of ethanol using sulphuric acid. The chemical reaction for the preparation of Diethyl Ether is as follows:
| 2CH3CH2OH + 2H2SO4 → (CH3CH2)2O + H2SO4 + H2O |
Diethyl Ether can also be produced by heating sodium or potassium ethoxide with chloro, bromo, or iodo ethane. The end products of this reaction are Diethyl ether and sodium iodide. This method is known as Williamson Ether Synthesis Method.
| C2H5ONa + C2H5I → C2H5OC2H5 + NaI |
Diethyl Ether can be prepared in laboratories by combining a high concentration of ethyl alcohol with a less concentrated sulfuric acid. The resultant mixture is then heated to roughly 140°C to produce diethyl ether.
| C2H5OH + H2SO4 → C2H5HSO4 + H2O C2H5HSO4 + C2H5OH → C2H5OC2H5 + H2SO4 |
Physical Properties of Diethyl Ether
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The physical properties of Diethyl Ether are given below:
- Diethyl Ether is a colourless substance.
- It has a sweet, pungent odour.
- It appears as a colourless and highly flammable liquid.
- The vapour pressure of Diethyl Ether is 439.8 mm Hg at 20oC.
- It is polar in nature, thus, it is more soluble in water than alkanes.
The important properties of Diethyl Ether can be summarized as follows:
| Properties of Diethyl Ether | |
|---|---|
| Chemical Formula | (C2H5)2O |
| Molecular Weight/ Molar Mass | 74.12 g/mol |
| Density | 713 kg/m3 |
| Melting Point | -116.3 °C |
| Boiling Point | 34.6 °C |
Chemical Properties of Diethyl Ether
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Diethyl Ether undergoes the following chemical reactions owing to its chemical structure and properties:
Combustion
Diethyl Ether is a very flammable liquid in nature and undergoes a combustion reaction which gives the formation of carbon dioxide and water.
| C2H5OC2H5 + 6O2 → 4CO2 + 5H2O |
Halogenation
Diethyl Ether reacts with halogens like chlorine or bromine and gives halo substituted ether that undergoes substitution reaction in the absence of sunlight.
| C2H5OC2H5 + Cl2 → C2H4(Cl)OC2H4(Cl) |
Uses of Diethyl Ether
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The uses of Diethyl Ether are as follows:
- Diethyl Ether is used as a common laboratory solvent.
- It is used as a starting fluid in combination with petroleum distillates for gasoline and diesel engines.
- It is also used as an excellent solvent for fats, oils, dyes, resins, alkaloids, and waxes.
- It is used in the recovery of acetic acid from aqueous solutions in the plastics and cellulose acetate industry.
- Diethyl ether generally replaced the use of chloroform as a general anaesthetic due to its better therapeutic index.
Health Hazards of Diethyl Ether
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Health hazards of Diethyl Ether are given below:
- Inhalation of diethyl ether can cause many diseases or health effects like nausea, vomiting, headache, and loss of consciousness.
- If it comes in contact with the eyes or skin, then it causes irritation resulting in skin dryness or cracking.
- High exposure to Diethyl Ether may also cause damage to the kidney.
Things to Remember
- Diethyl Ether is an organic compound which is the oldest and most common ether.
- It is also referred to as ether or ethyl ether.
- Diethyl Ether is a flammable, volatile, and colourless liquid ether with the chemical formula (C2H5)2O.
- It is made up of two carbon atoms connected by an oxygen atom.
- It is produced by the dehydration of ethanol using sulphuric acid.
- It is used as an engine starter fluid and a solvent in laboratories.
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Previous Year Questions
- Diethyl ether can be decomposed by…
- Ethyl chloride is converted into diethyl ether by… (MET 2004)
- Absolute ether is diethyl ether, which… (AIIMS 1996)
- The compound which is not isomeric with diethyl ether is… (JEE Advanced 1981)
- Ethanol and dimethyl ether form a pair of functional… (NEET 1993)
- Williamson synthesis of preparing dimethyl ether… (KEAM 2014)
- Which of the following has the lowest boiling point… (KCET 2020)
- Etherates are… (AIIMS 2012)
- A Williamson's synthesis of ethers is an example of…
- Preparation of ethers by reacting sodium alkoxide with…
Sample Questions
Ques. What is Diethyl Ether? (2 Marks)
Ans. Diethyl Ether, also known as Ethyl ether, is a member of the broad group of organic compounds known as ethers. It is a highly flammable, colourless, and highly volatile liquid with a sweet-smelling odour. The chemical formula of Diethyl Ether is (C2H5)2O. The molecular structure of this compound consists of two ethyl groups connected by an oxygen atom.
Ques. What are the properties of Diethyl Ether? (3 Marks)
Ans. The properties of Diethyl Ether are as follows:
- It is a colourless, volatile, highly flammable liquid with a strong, distinctive odour and a hot, sweetish taste.
- The density of Diethyl Ether is 713 kg/m3
- Its molecular weight is 74.12 g/mol.
- The melting and boiling points of Diethyl Ether are -116.3 °C and 34.6 °C respectively.
- It is used as a solvent for bromine, iodine, volatile oils, pure rubber, fatty and resinous compounds,
Ques. Is Ether still used as an anaesthetic during medical operations? (2 Marks)
Ans. Yes, ether is still used as an anaesthetic in various developing countries. This is mainly because this substance is very low cost and has a high therapeutic index with reduced respiratory and heart distress. It is also important to remember that there are also many countries in which the use of ether as an anaesthetic is not allowed. This is because it has a volatile flammability.
Ques. Mention the substances that are soluble in Diethyl Ether. (2 Marks)
Ans. According to various sources, ethers like diethyl ether easily dissolve a large variety of organic compounds of both polar and nonpolar origin. However, when it comes to diethyl ether, nonpolar compounds are usually more soluble than alcohol. This is because Ethers do not have any type of hydrogen bonding networks that have to be broken up to dissolve the solute.
Ques. Is there any difference between Diethyl ether and Ether? (2 Marks)
Ans. Diethyl ether is also known as ethyl ether. This substance is a well-known anaesthetic and is usually referred to as simply ether. It is an organic compound that belongs to the larger group of compounds called ether. The molecular structure of diethyl ether consists of two ethyl groups. These ethyl groups are connected by an oxygen atom, like C2H5OC2H5.
Ques. How is Diethyl Ether prepared? (3 Marks)
Ans. The distillation of ethyl alcohol with sulfuric acid produces leads to the production of Diethyl Ether. The reaction for the same is as follows:
Some other methods to prepare Diethyl Ether are:
- It is also prepared by the action of Iodoethane and dry silver oxide.
- Williamson Synthesis Method: C2H5ONa + C2H5I → C2H5 — O — C2H5 + NaI
- By heating a mixture of ethyl alcohol and alumina: C2H5OH + HOC2H5 — Al2O3/250°C→ C2H5 — O — C2H5 + H2O
Ques. What happens if a person inhales Diethyl Ether? (2 Marks)
Ans. According to medical experts, breathing or inhaling diethyl ether can cause throat and nose irritation. If an individual has inhaled diethyl ether, then he or she can expect to experience the following symptoms
- Drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Arousal
- Irregular Breathing
- Vomiting
- Excessive Saliva
In case of high exposure to diethyl ether, the situation can worsen leading to unconsciousness or even death.
Ques. Is Diethyl Ether flammable? (1 Mark)
Ans. Diethyl ether is highly flame retardant and can form explosive mixtures of air/vapour. Ether peroxides have a boiling point higher than ether, and can be explosive on contact when present in dry form.
Ques. List some uses of Diethyl Ether. (3 Marks)
Ans. The uses of Diethyl Ether are listed below:
- It is used as a solvent in laboratories.
- It is employed as a starting fluid for some engines.
- It was earlier used as a general anaesthetic, until the development of non-flammable drugs.
- It is also used as a recreational drug to cause intoxication.
Ques. Is ether the same as Chloroform? (1 Mark)
Ans. Chloroform is a halogenated hydrocarbon which is not flammable like ether. However, it has significant toxicity, including carcinogenicity, and nephrotoxicity.
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