Etoksilise

Etoksilise refers to the chemical process of introducing an ethoxy group (–OCH₂CH₃) into an organic compound, typically through a reaction known as *ethoxylation* or *transetherification*. This process is widely used in organic synthesis to modify the properties of molecules, such as increasing solubility, altering reactivity, or enhancing biological activity.

The most common method of ethoxylation involves reacting an alcohol, phenol, or other hydroxyl-containing compound with ethylene oxide in the presence of a catalyst, such as an alkali metal hydroxide (e.g., sodium hydroxide). The reaction proceeds via ring-opening polymerization, where ethylene oxide adds successive ethoxy units to the substrate. For example, ethoxylated alcohols (e.g., ethoxylated lauryl alcohol) are produced by reacting fatty alcohols with ethylene oxide, resulting in surfactants with improved wetting and emulsifying properties.

Etoksilise can also occur through esterification, where an ethoxy group replaces a leaving group (e.g., a halogen or hydroxyl) via nucleophilic substitution. This is often facilitated by a base or a transition metal catalyst. In industrial applications, ethoxylated products are used in detergents, lubricants, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals due to their amphiphilic nature.

The term *etoksilise* itself is not standardized in English but may derive from the Finnish or other Slavic languages, where it could imply "to ethoxylate." In scientific contexts, the process is universally referred to as *ethoxylation* or *alkoxylation*. Proper nomenclature follows IUPAC guidelines, where the prefix *ethoxy-* denotes the presence of the –OCH₂CH₃ group in the molecular structure.