Table : 10 Examples of Common Names and IUPAC Names of Some

Organic Compounds
S.No. Compound Common names IUPAC name
1. CH4 Methane or Marsh gas Methane
or Fire damp or
Carbane
2. H3 C  CH  CH3 Isobutane 2-Methylpropane
|
CH3

3. H3C  CH  CH2  CH3 Isopentane 2-Methylbutane

|
CH3

CH3
|
4. H3 C  C  CH3 Neopentane 2, 2-Dimethylpropane
|
CH3

CH3
|
5. CH3  CHCH2CH2CH3 Isohexane 2-Methylpentane

CH3
|
6. CH3  C  CH2CH3 Neohexane 2-2-Dimethylbutane
|
CH3
7. CH2 = CH2 Ethylene Ethene
8. CH3CH = CH2 Propylene Propene
9. CH3CH2 – CH = CH2 -Butylene But-1-ene
10. CH3CH = CHCH3 -Butylene But-2-ene
11. CH3(CH2)2CH = CHCH3 -Hexylene Hex-2-ene

12. Isobutylene 2-Methylpropene

13. CH2 = C = CH2 Allene Propadiene

14. HC  CH Acetylene, Narcylene Ethyne
15. H3C – C  CH Methyl acetylene Propyne
(Allylene)
16. CH3 – Cl Methyl chloride Chloromethane

17. CH3  CH  CH3 Isopropyl iodide 2-Iodopropane

|
I

18. CH3 CH2  CH  CH3 sec-Butyl chloride 2-Chlorobutane

|
Cl

CH3
|
19. CH3  CH  CH2  Cl Isobutyl chloride 1-Chloro-2-methylpropane
S.No. Compound Common name IUPAC name
CH3
|
20. CH3  C  Cl tert-Butyl chloride 2-Chloro-2-methylpropane
|
CH3

21. CH2  Br Ethylene dibromide 1, 2-Dibromoethane

|
CH2  Br
22. CH3  CH  Br Ethylidene bromide 1, 1-Dibromoethane
|
Br
23. CH2 = CH – Cl Vinyl chloride Chloroethene
24. CH2 = CH – CH2 – Br Allyl bromide 3-Bromo-1-propene

CH3 – CH2 – OH
Ethyl alcohol or
25. (Methylcarbinol) Ethanol

n  Pr opyl alcohol or
26. CH3CH2CH2 – OH (Ethyl carbinol) Propan-1-ol

27. CH3  CH  CH3 Isopropyl alcohol Propan-2-ol

|
OH

28. CH2 = CH – OH Vinyl alcohol Ethenol

29. CH2 = CH – CH2 – OH Allyl alcohol Prop-2-en-1-ol
30. CH  C – CH2 – OH Propargyl alcohol Prop-2-yn-1-ol

CH3  CH  CH2
31. | | Propylene glycol Propane-1, 2-diol
OH OH

32. HO – CH2 – CH2 – CH2 – OH Trimethylene glycol Propane-1, 3-diol

33. CH2  CH  CH2 Glycerol or Glycerine Propane-1, 2, 3-triol

| | |
OH OH OH

34. H – CHO Formaldehyde Methanal

35. CH3 – CHO Acetaldehyde Ethanal

36. CH3CH2CH2 – CHO n-Butyraldehyde Butanal

37. Isobutyraldehyde 2-Methylpropanal

38. CH2 = CH – CHO Acrolein prop-2-enal

39. CH3CH = CH – CHO Crotonaldehyde But-2-enal
40. CH3 – CO – CH3 Dimethyl ketone or Acetone Propanone
41. CH3 – CO – CH2CH3 Ethyl methyl ketone butan-2-one
42. CH3 – CO – CH2CH2CH3 Methyl n-propyl ketone Pentan-2-one
43. CH3CH2 – CO – CH2CH3 Diethyl ketone Pentan-3-one
44. CH3CO – CH = CH2 Methylvinyl ketone But-3-en-2-one

55
S.No. Compound Common name IUPAC name
45. H – COOH Formic acid Methanoic acid
46. CH3 – COOH Acetic acid Ethanoic acid
47. CH3CH2CH2 – COOH n-Butyric acid Butanoic acid
48. CH3CH2CH2CH2COOH n-Valeric acid Pentanoic acid

49. Iso-Butyric acid 2-Methylpropanoic acid

50. CH2 = CH – COOH Acrylic acid 2-Propenoic acid

51. COOH Oxalic acid Ethane-1, 2-dioic acid

|
COOH

52. Malonic acid Propane-1, 3-dioic acid

53. H2C  COOH succinic acid Butane-1, 4-dioic acid

|
H2C  COOH

54. Glutaric acid Pentane-1, 3-dioic acid

H
|
H3 C  C  COOH
55. | Lactic acid 2-Hydroxypropanoic acid
OH

O
56. || Pyruvic acid 2-Ketopropanonic acid
H3 C  C  COOH
2,3  Dihydroxyb u tane  1,
57. HOCHCOOH Tartaric acid 4  dioic acid
|
HOCHCOOH

2  Hydroxypro pane  1,2,

58. Citric acid 3  tricarboxy lic acid

2  Hydroxy  bu tan e  1,
HO  CH  COOH
59. Malic acid 4  dioic acid
|
CH2COOH

60. Maleic acid cis-but-2-ene-1,4-dioic acid

trans but  2  en  1,
61. Fumaric acid 4  dioic acid

56
S.No. Compound Common name IUPAC name
62. H2C = CH – COOH Acrylic acid Prop-2-en-1-oic acid
63. H3C – CH = CH – COOH Crotonic acid But-2-en-1-oic acid
64. H – COOCH3 Methyl formate Methyl methanoate
65. H – COOC2H5 Ethyl formate Ethyl methanoate
66. CH3 – COOC2H5 Ethyl acetate Ethyl ethanoate
67. H – COCl (unsatble) Formyl chloride Methanoyl chloride
68. CH3 – COCl Acetyl chloride Ethanoyl chloride
69. (CH3CO)2O Acetic anhydride Ethanoic anhydride
70. (CH3CH2CO)2O Propionic anhydride Propanoic anhydride
71. H – CONH2 Formamide Methanamide
72. CH3 – CONH2 Acetamide Ethanamide
73. CH3 – CH2 – CONH2 Propionamide Propanamide
74. CH3 – O – N = O Methylnitrite
75. CH3CH2 – O – N = O Ethylnitrite
76. CH3 – NH2 Methylamine or Methanamine
Aminomethane
77. (CH3CH2)2NH Diethylamine or N- N-Ethylethanamine
Ethylaminoethane
78. (CH3)3N Trimethylamine or N,N-Dimethylmethan-
N,N-Dimethylamino- amine
methane
O O
|| ||
79. H2N  C  NH  C  NH2 Biuret

80. H2N – SO3H Sulphamic acid Aminosulphonic acid

81. CH3 – CN Methyl cyanide or Ethanenitrile
Acetonitrile
82. CH3 – N+  C¯ Methyl isocyanide or Methylisonitrile
Methyl carbylamine
83. CH3CH2 – N+  C¯ Ethyl isocyanide or Ethylisonitrile
Ethyl carbylamine

84. Dioxane 1, 4-Dioxacyclohexane

85. Trioxane 1,3,5-Trioxacyclohexane

86. Phene Benzene

87. Toluene Methylbenzene

57
S.No. Compound Common name IUPAC name

o  Xylene / m  Xylene
p  Xylene
88. Xylene (o,m,p)

1, 3, 5  Trimethyl
89. Mesitylene
benzene

90. Cumene Isopropylbenzene

91. Benzylchloride

92. Benzalchloride Dichlorophenylmethane

93. Benzotrichloride Trichlorophenylmethane

94. Benzonitrile Benzene carbonitrile

95. (Gammexane or Hexachlorocyclohexan e

Lindane or 666 )
BHC

96. Carbolic acid Phenol

97. Catechol 2-Hydroxyphenol

98. Resorcinol 3-Hydroxyphenol

58
S.No. Compound Common name IUPAC name

99. Quinol 4-Hydroxyphenol

100. Oil of bitter almonds Benzaldehyde/Benzenal

2  Hydroxy
101. Salicyladehyde benzaldehyde

1, 2  Benzenedi 
102. Phthalaldeyde corbaldehyde

Acetopheno ne or
103. Hypnone Methylphen yl ketone

104. Benzophenone Benzophenone

105. Phenacyl chloride Chloroacetophenone

106. Cinnamic acid 3  Phenylprop  2  en

oic acid

Aspirin
107. ( Acetyl salicylic acid) 2-Acetoxybenzoic acid

Oil of winter green Methyl 2  hydroxy

108. (Methyl salicylate) benzoate

109. Oil of mirbane Nitrobenzene

59
S.No. Compound Common name IUPAC name

110. Picric acid 2, 4, 6-Trinitrophenol

111. Acetanilide N-Phenylethanamide

Phenylethe ne
112. Styrene or
Vinylbenze ne

113. Anisole Methoxybenzene

114. Phenetol Ethoxybenzene

115. Aniline Aniline (Benzenamine)

116. (o, m, p) Toluidine Methylaniline

117. (o, m, p) cresol Hydroxytoluene

118. Naphthalene Naphthalene

119. Anthracene Anthracene

120. Phenanthrene Phenanthrene

60