Ethers & Ether Derivatives Available For Purchase

Our Ether Suppliers

We have partnered with a range of chemical manufacturers who specialize exclusively in synthesizing ethers and their derivatives. With years of industry experience, our suppliers offer the most common ether compounds, or can custom manufacture ether compounds that you cannot purchase from most chemical suppliers.

With all orders, you can order the exact amount of chemical that you need - with no minimum order - in a cost and time effective manner that other suppliers cannot match.

Ether Physical Properties & Structure

Ethers are chemical compounds which have an oxygen atom attached to two different groups, represented by the general formula ROR’, with R and R’ representing either alkyl or aryl groups.

Ethers can be symmetrical - where both the R and R’ groups are the same - or asymmetrical if the two groups differ. It is possible for both chained and aromatic ethers to form based on the substituent groups. The two substituent groups allow for ethers to have a wide range of chemical and physical properties based on the properties of the alkyl or aryl groups.

Ether Derivatives

Due to the similar structure of ethers to alcohols, it is common for ethers to be described as derivatives of alcohols or phenols. Ethers can be determined as either symmetrical, asymmetrical or cyclical.

The Reactivity of Ethers

Ether compounds are generally unreactive, but will react under the right chemical conditions. For example, when hydrogen halides are added to ethers, cleavage of the carbonyl bond results in the formation of alkyl halides.

Other reactions that are common in aromatic ethers are electrophilic substitution in the ortho and para positions, via halogenation or Friedel Crafts reactions. In the latter, the addition of alkyl or acyl groups can occur when reacted with alkyl or acyl halides in the presence of a catalyst, respectively.

In ethers that are totally cyclic, the above reactions generally do not occur due to the resistance of cleavage, resulting in differing chemical reaction possibilities.

Applications of Ethers & Derivatives

There is a wide use of ethers in the chemical industry. Ethers are commonly used as commercial solvents in the production of paints and different plastics. They also have many different uses as medicinal products, such as in anesthesia and antiseptics products.

Due to the sensory properties of some ethers, they are used in the perfume and food and drink industry. Their aroma profiles make them suitable for use in household goods as fragrances, but they are also used to improve the flavor of certain food groups.