Organic Chemistry Naming

Question 1

Alkane

Answer 1

1. Contains hydrogen and carbon
2. Single bonds between carbon atoms
3. General formula: CnH2n+2
4. Suffix: ane

Example :
C3H8- propane

Question 2

Alkene

Answer 2

1. Contains hydrogen and carbon
2. At least one double bond between carbon atoms
3. General formula: CnH2n
4. Suffix: ene

Example :
prop-1-ene - C3H6

Question 3

alkyne

Answer 3

1. Contains hydrogen and carbon
2. At least one triple bond between carbon atoms
3. General formula: CnH2n-1
4. Suffix: yne

Example :
prop-1-yne

Question 4

Alcohol

Answer 4

1. Contains a hydroxyl functional group (-OH)
2. Always number from end closest to functional group
3. General formula: CnH2n+2O
4. Suffix: ol

Example :
Butan-2-ol C4H10O

Question 5

Aldehyde

Answer 5

1. Contains a carbon (C=O) on terminal carbon
2. As C=O is always at the end of the parent chain and we number the end closest to functional group C=O is always 1 - do not need to specify in name
3. General formula: CnH2nO
4. Suffix: al

Example :
propanal C3H6O

Question 6

Ketone

Answer 6

1. Contains a carbonyl group (C=O) not on terminal carbon
2. C=O functional group needs location
3. General formula: CnH2nO
4. Suffix: one

Example :
pentan-3-one C5H10O

Question 7

Carboxylic acid

Answer 7

1. Contains a carboxyl functional group
2. Carboxyl is always at the end of the parent chain - don’t need to specify location
3. General formula: CnH2nO2
4. Suffix: oic acid

Example :
Butanoic acid C4H8O2

Question 8

Haloalkanes

Answer 8

1. Contains at least one halogen (group 17) off a carbon
2. Number the chain so halogen is attached to lowest carbon group
3. Halogen stems end in “O” and placed before alkane with location

Example :
2-chloropropane
2-chloro-2-idobutane
2,2-dibromo-3chloropentane
2-chloro-3,4-diflurohexane

Question 9

branched molecules

Answer 9

• also called side chains
• branches end in “yl”

e.g. Methyl
2,3 -dimethyl butane

Question 10

Cyclic molecules

Answer 10

• a cyclic hydrocarbon has a ring of carbons and cyclo as a prefix
• ring is the main chain if it has the most carbons otherwise it is a cylcoalkyl group
  -if there is only one branch or double/triple bond is number 1
• if multiple branches, number carbons to give lowest combination of numbers

E.g.
Cyclobutane
2-ethyl -3,3-dimethylcyclohex-ene

Question 11

Amine

Answer 11

NH2
- contain carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen atoms
- contains an amino functional group
- number from end closest to functional group
- suffix: amine (drop e off alkane)

E.g.
propan-1-amine

Question 12

Nitriles

Answer 12

C triple bond N
- contain carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen atoms
- contains an amino functional group
- nitrile carbon will be carbon 1 (don’t need to specify in name)
- suffix: nitrile

E.g. Propane nitrile

Question 13

Esters

Answer 13

• contains carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms
• contains an ester functional group
• form from the reaction of carboxylic acid and an alcohol
• first word - from the alcohol part and ends in “yl”
  second word - from the carboxylic acid part and ends in “oate”

E.g.
Propyl ethanoate

Question 14

Amides

Answer 14

• contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms
• contains an amide functional group
• similar to carboxylic acid but -OH is an -NH2
• Main chain will have carbonyl group and this carbon will renumber one
• suffix: amide

E.g.
propanamide
N-methyl butanamide

Question 15

Poly functional compounds

Answer 15

• more than one functional group
  –> if the functional group is the same use a multiplier prefix
  –> if functional groups are different, need to look at priorities
• functional group with highest priority is assigned lowest number and suffix used
• lower priority functional groups indicated by a prefix

Highest priority
- carboxyl