General

What is the IUPAC alkoxyalkane convention for naming ethers?

1. Find and name the R and R' chains.
2. Identify the number at which the R and R' chains bond to the oxygen.
   • If the oxygen is bonded at the 1 position, disregard the numbering.
3. Name the ether by choosing the shorter chain as the prefix, interposing ``oxy'' and using the longer chain as the suffix:

Figure 48.4: (left) Methoxyethane, $CH_{3}CH_{2}$-$O$-$CH_{3}$; (right) 2-methoxybutane.