Editing Dimethyl ether (section)

==Applications==
The largest use of dimethyl ether is as the feedstock for the production of the methylating agent, [[dimethyl sulfate]], which entails its reaction with [[sulfur trioxide]]:
:{{chem2|CH3OCH3 + SO3 -> (CH3)2SO4}}
Dimethyl ether can also be converted into [[acetic acid]] using [[carbonylation]] technology related to the [[Monsanto acetic acid process]]:<ref name=Ullmann/>
:{{chem2|(CH3)2O + 2 CO + H2O -> 2 CH3CO2H}}

===Laboratory reagent and solvent===
Dimethyl ether is a low-temperature solvent and extraction agent, applicable to specialised laboratory procedures. Its usefulness is limited by its low [[boiling point]] ({{convert|-23|C}}), but the same property facilitates its removal from reaction mixtures. Dimethyl ether is the precursor to the useful [[alkylating agent]], [[trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate]].<ref>{{OrgSynth | author = T. J. Curphey | collvol = 6 | year = 1988| collvolpages = 1019 | prep = CV6P1019| title = Trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate}}</ref>

===Niche applications===
A mixture of dimethyl ether and [[propane]] is used in some over-the-counter "[[freeze spray]]" products to treat [[wart]]s by [[cryosurgery|freezing them]].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.pharmacytimes.com/issue/pharmacy/2006/2006-07/2006-07-5674 | date = July 2006 | title = A Pharmacist's Guide to OTC Therapy: OTC Treatments for Warts | access-date = 2009-05-02 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100617043246/http://www.pharmacytimes.com/issue/pharmacy/2006/2006-07/2006-07-5674 | archive-date = 2010-06-17 | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf3/K030838.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=[[Food and Drug Administration]] |access-date=2019-12-16 |archive-date=2009-04-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090420005111/http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/pdf3/k030838.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> In this role, it has supplanted halocarbon compounds ([[Freon]]).

Dimethyl ether is also a component of certain high temperature [[MAPP gas|"Map-Pro"]] blowtorch gas blends, supplanting the use of [[methyl acetylene]] and [[propadiene]] mixtures.<ref name="MAP-Plus">{{Cite web |url=http://images.toolbank.com/downloads/cossh/0482.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2016-03-02 |archive-date=2016-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220132220/http://images.toolbank.com/downloads/cossh/0482.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Dimethyl ether is also used as a propellant in aerosol products. Such products include hair spray, bug spray and some aerosol glue products.