<p>Diisopropyl ether is secondary ether that is used as a solvent. It is a colorless liquid that is slightly soluble in water, but miscible with most organic solvents. It is also used as an oxygenate gasoline additive.
Diisopropyl ether is sometimes represented by the abbreviation "DIPE".
Diisopropyl ether tends to form explosive peroxides upon standing in air for long periods (years). This reaction proceeds more easily than for ethyl ether, due to the secondary carbon next to the oxygen atom, which makes storage of diisopropyl ether more dangerous. The stored solvent should therefore be tested for the presence of peroxides more often (recommended once every 3 months for diisopropyl ether vs. once every 12 months for ethyl ether). For safety reasons, methyl tert-butyl ether is often used as an alternative solvent.</p>