OK just abit of background on terms, and I hope I haven't oversimplified. Organic chemistry is mostly the complex ways that Carbon bonds to other atoms. In the case of carbon/oxygen we see formed C-O-C combinations. Any compound with an atom combination in the molecule is an ETHER. The most common form is DIETHYL ETHER with the oxygen attached to two ethyl groups. (Shit- I can't show molecule chains on this one-line entry BBS). So pretend my name is oxygen, and I'm in the sack with two vegetarian guys. " Ether is any of a group of organic compounds in which an oxygen atom is joined to two organic radicals."

The oxygen just might have both bonds to one carbon as in C=O and would be called a CARBONYL GROUP. Note that the carbon has two remaining bonds that could attach in several patterns: 1. there might be one bond to hydrogen and one to carbon to form an ALDEHYDE such as acetaldehyde CH3.CHO 2. both bonds might be to carbons to form a KETONE such as acetone CH3-CO-CH3 also called dimethyl ketone. SUGARS are an aldehyde (or a ketone) plus an alcohol. They are carbon chains with one part being carbonyl CO group, and the rest being hydroxyl OH groups. STARCHES are many sugars linked by ether groups C-O-C. A spare carbonyl bond may be to an oxygen whose other bond is a hydrogen H-O-C=O and would be called a CARBOXYL GROUP. A hydrogen comes loose from carboxyl much faster than from a hydoxyl. Organic carboxyl substances are ORGANIC ACIDS such as acetic acid CH3.CO.OH Such long carbon chain acids form part of living fat molecules and so are called FATTY ACIDS.
In this article we will make and purify ethyl ether, also acetone, acetaldehyde, acetic chloride, and acetic anhydride. In all these the original common substance is mostly ethyl alcohol. Oxygen has two bonds that can be attached several ways. Example: one bond to carbon, one bond to hydrogen giving C-O-H the characteristic of an ALCOHOL. Ethyl alcohol C2H5OH contains the two-carbon ethyl group as well as a hydroxyl group.
(To be continued as my time permits)

TEST for ETHYL ALCOHOL: To test tube with "Eth. Alcohol" add a bit of iodine in potassium iodine sol. Now add dilute sodium hydroxide drop by drop until iodine tint almost disappears. A pale yellow precipitate of iodoform in very tiny rosette crystals. This indicates either: ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, or acetone. To distinguish between these, warm the test tube with a bit of potassium dichromate sol. with dilute sulphuric acid. If you have eth. alcohol the solution will show green, with a smell of acetaldehyde.

ETHYL ETHER (C2H5)2O also perhaps dimethyl ether or ethyl oxide. 1. Williamson's method involves sodium ethoxide C2H5ONa heated with ethyl iodine C2H5I. Then sodium iodine separates out forming diethyl ether.
2. Continous Etherification method is the most common. A 500c.c. distil flask is fitted with a 3 hole stopper and carries a 200C. thermometer, a separation funnel with cock, an L-tube and hose to a condenser. The condenser out tube enters a "stopper" of cotton wool that plugs a recieving flask cooled by an ice bath. In the distill flask place 100c.c. eth.alcohol and than add 70c.c. of concentrated sulphuric acid a bit at a time while shaking flask. Now stopper the still head and place eth. alcohol in the sep. funnel. Heat still flask on a sand or water bath until 140 to 145 C. Start slow alcohol drip such that temperature demains within the given figures. Ether and some water drip into the very cold reciever. Then transfer distillate into a larg sep. funnel and shake; first with dilute sodium hydroxide sol. (to remove sulphur dioxide), then with strong brine (to remove alcohol). the reasonably pure ether is drided in dissicator over solid calcium chloride. it may be completely dried by contact with sodium metal.

To elaborate on the purification of Ether: here are two methods from Practical methods of Organic Chemistry 1916 Prof. Gattermann.

Anydrous Alcohol-free Ether
"Shake 200 gm. of commercial ether in a sep. funnel with half its volume of water; the latter is allowed to run off, and the operation repeated a second time with a fresh quantity of water, by which the alcohol is removed. The ether is dried by standing over calcium chloride, not too little, two hours. It is then filtered through a folded filter."

Absolute Ether
"250 cc. of commercial ether shaken several times with 100cc of water, and allowed to remain over granular calcium chloride over night. The ether is separated from the calcium chloride and treated with thin bright scales of sodium. The vessel is stoppered with a cork to which is attached a cacium chloride tube, open at both ends. As soon as the evolution of gas ceases, the ether is distilled off from the sodium in the same vessel. It is collected in a suction flask attached to the lower end of the condenser with a cork, and having a calcium chloride tube connected to its side tube to prevent moisture from entering the reciever. For the siccess of the experiments the use of thorouhhly dry material is absolutely necessary. The ether must be kept in contact with the sodium over night, and be freshly distilled from the sodium just before use."

On the Medical use of Ether:
You Americans have a good book available "US Army Special Forces Medical Handbook # ST 31-91B" by Glen K. Craig. Pages 421 to 429 deal with open drop technique of ether anesthesia. `Now the ether sleep in divided into four "stages". The `third stage is surgical sleep and is subdivided into four "planes" There are signs given: eye movements, muscle tone, breathing, etc. to judge these planes. There can be a serious mistake at the lower plane resulting in an overdose and death of the patient.

ACETONE C3H6O: Calcium (or better barium-) acetate is heated on iron tray to drive off all water. The hot salt first melts, boils, then solidifies, and at last melts again. Cool the salt, powder it, and place in a distillation retort connected to a receiver. Acetone distills over at b.p. 57.5 C.

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[This message has been edited by k9girrl (edited 04-27-2001).]