Bring the power of IUPAC naming to your desktop!

ACD/Name (Chemist Version) offers a standardized set of features for quick and simple generation of IUPAC names, and structures from names. It is a streamlined version of our popular ACD/Name software.

View a full description and pricing on our web store.

Specific Classes of Compounds

R-5.5.4 Ethers and chalcogen analogues

Compounds having the general structure , , and are called generically "ethers", "sulfides", "selenides", and "tellurides", respectively, and are named by one of three method: substitutive, functional class, or replacement.

R-5.5.4.1 Substitutive names are formed by prefixing the name of the group , , , or to the name of the parent hydride corresponding to R.

Examples to R-5.5.4.1

R-5.5.4.2 Functional class names are formed by citing the names of the groups R and in alphabetical order followed by the class name "ether", "sulfide", "selenide", or "telluride", each as a separate word.

Examples to R-5.5.4.2

R-5.5.4.3 Replacement nomenclature (see R-1.2.2) is used to name linear polyethers, polysulfides, etc. It is especially advantageous for unsymmetrical structures with several chalcogen atoms and those with several different chalcogen atoms.

Examples to R-5.5.4.3

R-5.5.4.4 Cyclic ethers. An oxygen atom directly attached to two atoms that are already part of a ring system, or to two carbon atoms of a chain, may be named (a) as a heterocycle, following the appropriate recommendations for naming heterocycles, including the use of the prefix "epoxy" as a bridge prefix, in which case it is a nondetachable prefix (see R-0.1.8); or (b) by using the prefix "epoxy" substitutively, in which case it is detachable (see R-0.1.8) and therefore alphabetized along with any other substitutive prefixes. The latter method is particularly useful when it is desired to preserve the name of a specific structure, for example, in naming natural products such as steroids and carotenoids.

Note: The class name "oxide" has also been used additively to name cyclic ethers of the second kind, for example, ethylene oxide and styrene oxide.

Examples to R-5.5.4.4

Next:
R-5.5.5 Hydroperoxides and peroxides
R-5.5.6 Hydropolysulfides and polysulfides
R-5.5.7 Sulfoxides, sulfones, and their analogues
search
This HTML reproduction is as close as possible to the published version [see IUPAC, Commission on Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry. A Guide to IUPAC Nomenclature of Organic Compounds (Recommendations 1993), 1993, Blackwell Scientific publications, Copyright 1993 IUPAC]. If you need to cite these rules please quote this reference as their source.

Published with permission of the IUPAC by Advanced Chemistry Development, Inc., www.acdlabs.com, +1(416)368-3435 tel, +1(416)368-5596 fax. For comments or suggestions please contact webmaster@acdlabs.com