How to name simple organic compounds

Name organic compounds like carbon compounds.

Things You'll Need

• Chemistry book
• pen / paper
• Time!!

Instructions

1. IUPAC allows someone to determine the name of a compound from the formula and visa versa.

   First find the LONGEST straight chain or MAIN ring of carbon atoms. This will be your PARENT chain.

2. 

   Next, start numbering the carbons starting with the one CLOSEST to the branched side chain. See image...

3. After all carbons on the main (longest) chain are numbered, you need to figure out what the branched groups are. In the case on the picture above, the branch is a ethyl group (-CH2CH3).

4. Now all you need to do is name the compound.

   You start with the number of the carbon that contains the branch. In the case above, carbon number 4 contains the branched ethyl group. So, 4 will start your IUPAC name.

5. After the 4 comes a Hyphen(-). Hyphens are used to separate numerical values from words.

6. Finally, write the branch name and the parent name as one. In this case it would be ethyloctane (One word). Octane because there are 8 carbons in the parent chain.

   The final result would be 4-ethyloctane.

Tips & Warnings

• Never give up!

• Look for ever possible continuous chain when finding the parent! Pick the longest one.

• Remember to use the number direction that gives the LOWEST number to the FIRST branched group.