Ester vs Ether – Difference Between Ester and Ether
The main difference between ester and ether is that ethers feature one oxygen atom bonded with a carbonyl group between chained carbonyl atoms, whereas esters feature two bonded oxygen atoms placed between chained carbonyl atoms.
Today, we are going to help you to understand what makes ester and ether different from one another in simple terms that will be easy to pick up and remember. We will provide you with the definition of each word alongside a visual table at the end to make their variations easy to summarize at a quick glance.
If you are ready to dive further into the ester vs ether comparison, then let’s jump straight into the first section.
Definition of Ester – So What Is Ester?
The definition of ester is a carboxylic acid derivative with a functional group consisting of at least one carbonyl atom that is bonded with two oxygen atoms.
Esters are formed when the “H” in the “OH” functional group of carboxylic acids gets swapped out with an alkyl group (also known as an “R” group). This means that esters adopt less acidic characteristics than carboxylic acids, though they still retain a fairly high degree of acidity.
This acidity makes them easily polarizable, more so than an ether (while still being less polarizable than an acid group). It is easy to recognize an ester due to the fact that their names always end in “ate.”
These are some common examples of ester types.
- Methyl butanoate
- Propyl methanoate
- Propyl ethanoate
- Dimethyl malonate
- Ethyl acetate
- Propionate
- Enanthate
An area where we can easily separate ester vs ether is in the daily application of esters. It is fair to say that they are used for a wider variety of purposes than ethers are, including in the food and beauty industry.
Take a look at the following list of real-world ester usage examples, and you will quickly see that you have encountered them more often than you may have realized.
- To form plastic
- To create soap and detergents
- To form organic solvents
- To create explosives
- To create perfumes, food flavorings, and cosmetics
- In naturally occurring fats and oils
You probably did not know it, but every time you have gone to use some moisturizer, shower gel, or food flavoring, you have used an ester. One of the main reasons why they are so versatile (aside from their acidic nature, making them more reactive and therefore more suitable for activating certain ingredients) is their high degree of polarity.
You could view the term “polarize” in chemistry as another way of saying “tame.” All polarizing really means is that something is easier to control and apply to any task of our choosing. Because of this, esters are suitable for a wider array of applications than ethers.
We will now determine the difference between ester and ether further by diving into the definition of ether.
Definition of Ether – So What Is Ether?
The definition of ether is an alcohol derivative featuring a single oxygen atom that is bonded with two carbon atoms.
Just as with an ester, when an ether is created, the “H” in the “OH” functional group of an alcohol gets replaced by an alkyl in order to provide us with an ether. With such a similar creational process, you might be wondering how these two molecules can be so dramatically different.
The difference between ether and ester is due to the foundational substance or functional groups that they derive from. As you are already aware, esters come from acid groups. Because ethers come from alcohol groups, this gives them dramatically different properties from esters.
They also feature a completely different suffix, in the form of “ane.” Here are some common ether name examples.
- Ethoxyethane
- Oxirane
- Methyloxirane
- Methane
- Oxetane
- Epoxybutane
As you can see, it would be virtually impossible to mistake an ester for an ether when you see the different types of names associated with these two organic molecules. Another area in which ether vs ester differ dramatically is that of polarity.
As you are already aware, esters are easily polarizable or “tamable,” whereas ethers are not. This means that they are harder to control, making them suitable for a limited array of applications. It also means that they would not necessarily be safe to use as part of the same product types in which esters are included.
Check out these examples of common ether applications in the real world.
- As refrigerants
- As antiseptic
- To kick start petrol and diesel engines due to their high degree of flammability
- As anesthetics
- As flammable fuel sources
Just by reading the above list of practical uses for ethers, it is very easy to see that they have a completely different nature from esters. They have far-reaching medical uses, and they are involved in the creation of all kinds of fuel.
Similarly to esters, you will have encountered ethers many times before without realizing it. One huge difference between ether and ester is that you could actually describe an ether as being more dangerous than an ester. It is fair to say that esters could also present health risks in certain circumstances due to their acidic nature, but ethers are more directly volatile even in small quantities.
Take a look at the quick reference table in the next section to get an overview of what separates ether vs ester.
What Is the Main Difference Between Ester vs Ether?
The following table should help you to easily summarize the contrasting nature of these two organic molecules.
| Molecule | Ether | Ester |
| Functional group | -O | -COO |
| A derivative of | Alcohol | Acid |
| Suffix | “Ane” | “Ate” |
| Polarization | Not easily polarized | Easily polarized |
| Widely used for | Medical purposes and for fuel | A wide array of purposes including cosmetics, food enhancement, oils, fats, and plastics |
| Common name examples | Methane, oxetane, butane | Propionate, enanthate, methanoate |
| Odor | Sweet but mildly pungent | Sweet |
| Boiling point | 34.6 degrees | 54 degrees |
| Chemical formula | ROR | RCOOR |
Despite both being formed in a similar fashion (due to both being created out of the replacement of an “H” in the “OH” functional group with an alkyl), it is clear to see that the ether organic chemistry sets it worlds apart from an ester.
So What Is the Difference Between Ether and Ester? – Conclusion
Finally, now that you have taken a closer look at the ester functional group and the ether functional group, you should now be able to effectively summarize the contrasting nature of these two organic molecules.
If you ever get stuck with them again in the future, then an easy way that we can make a summary of the two is to say that an ester has two oxygen atoms whereas an ether only has one.
This alone is an easy way to remember them. You can also come back to the quick reference table in the last section anytime you find yourself stumped over this comparison too.
