Crown ethers are cyclic chemical compounds consisting of a ring containing several ether groups. Common crown ethers include tetramer, pentamer, and hexamer of ethylene oxide. The term "crown" refers to their resemblance to a crown sitting on a person's head when bound to a cation. Crown ethers have applications in synthesis such as esterification and aromatic substitution reactions. They also have analytical applications such as determination of metals in geological samples and use as phase transfer catalysts.