Answer to Question #90501 in Organic Chemistry for H

Question

Do Cyclic Ethers essentially mean heterocyclic compounds only? Will any ether with only carbon atoms in the ring and oxygen atom outside the ring, shall also be considered as cyclic ether? E.g C4H8O can have an isomer with a ring of four carbon atoms, with one of them bonding with an oxygen atom, which in turn bonds with CH3.

Answer 1

Organic compounds can be classified as heterocyclic and carbocyclic. If there is a heteroatom(s) in the cycle then this compound is heterocyclic. Cyclic ethers are hererocyclic componds.

Any ether with only carbon atoms in the ring and oxygen atom outside the ring, shall not be considered as cyclic ether. The reason is that ether group is not in the carbon atoms cycle.

For example, cyclobutyl methyl ether is derived from cyclobytanol and methenol. Cyclobutanol is derived fron cyclobutane, which is the member of cycloalkanes (carbocylcic compounds), but not the member of heterocyclic compounds.