Which of the following statements correctly describes epoxides?

• A. Epoxides are carboxylic acids with two oxygen atoms double-bonded to carbon ($O^2$ double bonds to $C$).
• B. Epoxides are aromatic compounds with a six-membered ring.
• C. Epoxides are three-membered cyclic ethers containing an oxygen atom ($O$).
• D. Epoxides are amines with a nitrogen atom ($N$) bonded to three alkyl groups.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall the definition of an epoxide: it is a three-membered cyclic ether, meaning it contains a ring of two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom connected by single bonds.
2. Understand that epoxides are not carboxylic acids; carboxylic acids contain a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group (-OH), which is different from the structure of epoxides.
3. Recognize that epoxides are not aromatic compounds; aromatic compounds have planar, cyclic structures with conjugated pi electrons, typically involving six-membered rings like benzene, which is not the case for epoxides.
4. Note that epoxides do not contain nitrogen atoms and are not amines; amines have nitrogen bonded to alkyl or aryl groups, which is unrelated to the oxygen-containing ring in epoxides.
5. Conclude that the correct description of epoxides is that they are three-membered cyclic ethers containing one oxygen atom, which gives them unique reactivity due to ring strain.