Provide the name for the following ether.

• A. tert-butyl pentyl ether
• B. sec-butyl pentyl ether
• C. sec-butyl pentanoate
• D. pentyl sec-butyl ether

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the ether functional group in the structure, which is characterized by an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl groups.
2. Examine the alkyl groups attached to the oxygen atom. One side has a sec-butyl group, which is a four-carbon chain with a branching at the second carbon.
3. On the other side of the oxygen atom, identify the pentyl group, which is a straight chain of five carbon atoms.
4. Combine the names of the two alkyl groups with the word 'ether' to form the name of the compound. The naming convention for ethers is to list the alkyl groups in alphabetical order followed by 'ether'.
5. Since 'pentyl' comes before 'sec-butyl' alphabetically, the correct name for the ether is 'pentyl sec-butyl ether'.