Final answer:
The functional group of ethers is the -R-O-R- group, where two alkyl or aryl groups are linked by an oxygen atom. They serve as solvents and in IUPAC nomenclature, ethers are named using an alkoxy substituent for the smaller branch and the alkane base chain for the larger branch.
Step-by-step explanation:
The functional group of ethers is the -R-O-R- group, wherein two alkyl or aryl groups are connected by an oxygen atom. Ethers are commonly used as solvents for various substances such as gums, fats, waxes, and resins. For instance, div>diethyl ether is well-known as an anesthetic and solvent. In chemistry nomenclature, when naming ethers using the IUPAC system, the oxygen atom and the smaller carbon branch are referred to as an alkoxy substituent, while the remainder of the molecule is named as an alkane base chain. An example of this would be methoxyethane, where "methoxy" represents the smaller alkyl group and oxygen, and "ethane" is the larger carbon branch. When using common names to refer to ethers, the two alkyl groups attached to the oxygen are named separately and followed by "ether," such as in ethylmethyl ether.