Alkoxy group
In chemistry, the alkoxy group is an alkyl group which is singularly bonded to oxygen; thus. Denoted usually with apostrophe. The range of alkoxy groups is vast, the simplest being methoxy. An ethoxy group is found in the organic compound ethyl phenyl ether.
Related to alkoxy groups are aryloxy groups, which have an aryl group singularly bonded to oxygen such as the phenoxy group.
An alkoxy or aryloxy group bonded to an alkyl or aryl is an ether. If bonded to H it is an alcohol.
The term alkoxide refers to the anionic conjugate bases of alcohols or to ionic compounds containing such an anion. Alkoxide compounds are derivatives of alcohols where the hydrogen of the –OH group is replaced by a metal; for example, the sodium salt of ethanol is sodium ethoxide, containing ethoxide anions and sodium cations.