The colorless liquid ether was first synthesized about 1540 by Valerius Cordus (1515-1544), who called his discovery "sweet oil of vitriol" and described its medicinal properties. Paracelsus (1493-1541), a contemporary of Valerius, noted that the "oil"...

This article is about the chemical compound. For other uses, see aether. Diethyl ether, also known as ether and ethoxyethane, is a clear, colorless, and highly flammable liquid with a low boiling point and a characteristic smell. It is the most common...