What Is Diethyl Ether?
Diethyl Ether is a compound consisting of two ethyl groups joined by oxygen. It is sometimes called ethyl ether or simply ether. In its IUPAC name, it is also called ethoxyethane.
Diethyl Ether is a light, volatile liquid with a specific odor. It is gradually oxidized in air to form dangerous peroxides. It has an extremely low flash point, so care must be taken when handling it.
Uses of Diethyl Ether
Diethyl Ether is used as an analytical reagent, a raw material for organic synthesis, an organic solvent for resins, rubber, fats, oils, and fragrances, and as a fuel. It has a low boiling point among organic solvents, so it can be easily removed from reaction systems when used in organic synthesis.
Diethyl Ether is also used in many other pharmaceutical applications, primarily in inhalation anesthetics. It is also used in the extraction separation of certain metal chlorides from hydrochloric acid solutions.
Diethyl Ether has a low flash point of 160°C. It has a high cetane number of 85-96 and can be used as a combustion aid in diesel engines.
Properties of Diethyl Ether
Diethyl Ether has a melting point of -116.3°C and a boiling point of 34.6°C. It is extremely soluble in ethanol, benzene, and chloroform, and somewhat soluble in water.
Diethyl Ether is oxidized by atmospheric oxygen and direct sunlight to form the explosive peroxide diethyl ether peroxides. Therefore, a small amount of dibutyl hydroxytoluene (BHT) may be added as an antioxidant.
Diethyl Ether is an organic compound with a molecular structure consisting of two ethyl groups connected by an ether bond. The specific formula is CH3CH2OCH2CH3 or (CH3CH2)2O. It has a molecular weight of 74.12 and a density of 0.708 g/cm3.
Other Information on Diethyl Ether
1. Synthesis of Diethyl Ether
Industrially, diethyl ether is obtained as a byproduct of the synthesis of ethanol from ethene. It can also be synthesized by vapor phase dehydration of ethanol using alumina as a catalyst.
Diethyl Ether can also be synthesized by dehydration-condensation of ethanol using an acid as a catalyst. First, ethanol is mixed with a strong acid such as sulfuric acid, which dissociates to form hydronium ions. The hydronium ion protonates the oxygen atom of ethanol, giving the ethanol molecule a positive charge. The oxygen atom of the unprotonated ethanol molecule is replaced by the water molecule of the protonated ethanol molecule, and diethyl ether can be formed.
However, since the reaction is reversible, diethyl ether must be distilled from the reaction system to increase the yield of diethyl ether. In addition, if the temperature is high, ethanol will dehydrate to ethylene, so the reaction is usually carried out at 150°C or lower.
2. Metabolism of Diethyl Ether
The metabolism of diethyl ether is thought to involve cytochrome P450, a general term for oxidoreductase. Diethyl ether is O-deethylated by cytochrome P450, yielding ethanol and acetaldehyde.
3. Dangers of Diethyl Ether
Diethyl Ether has been used in the past as an alternative to ethanol for drinking. However, it is several times more orally toxic than ethanol, with a minimum lethal dose in humans of 260 mg/kg.
Diethyl Ether has a flash point of -45°C and is extremely flammable. Because of its high insulating properties, it is prone to static electricity, which can cause it to ignite by spark discharge. Note that because diethyl ether has a low flash point, it can be easily ignited by hot utensils even in the absence of flames or sparks.