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ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

NAMING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM THEIR STRUCTURAL FORMULA

The Nomenclature ( or Naming System) for Organic Compounds

NAMING BRANCHED CHAINED COMPOUNDS

Example 1. a
H H H H
1 2 3 4
H C C C C H
4 3 2 1

H H H H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 4 = prefix used = but

functional group(s) single covalent bonds = suffix = ane
branch name = alkyl group = none/0
branch (alkyl group) location = Carbon None/0

Name: butane

Example 1. b
H H H H H
1 2 3 4 5
H C C C C C H
5 4 3 2 1

H H H H

H C H

H
Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 5 = prefix used = pent
functional group(s) single covalent bonds = suffix = ane
branch name = alkyl group = methyl
branch (alkyl group) location = Carbon # 2

Name: 2-methyl pentane

Example 1. c
H H H
1 2 3
H C C C H
3 2 1

H H
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H C H

H
Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 3 = prefix used = prop
functional group(s) single covalent bonds = suffix = ane
branch name = alkyl group = methyl
branch (alkyl group) location = Carbon # 2

Name: 2-methyl propane

Example 1.d
H H H H H
1 2 3 4 5
H C C C C C H
5 4 3 2 1

H H H H

H C H

H C H

H
Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 5 = prefix used = pent
functional group(s) single covalent bonds = suffix = ane
branch name (alkyl group) = methyl : number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch (alkyl group) location = Carbon # 2 & 3

Name: 3-ethyl pentane

Example 1. e

H C H

H H
1 2 3
H C C C H
3 2 1

H H

H C H
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H
Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 3 = prefix used = prop
functional group(s) single covalent bonds = suffix = ane
branch name (alkyl group) = methyl : number of branches = 2 (use prefix di - )
branch (alkyl group) location = Carbon # 2 & 2

Name: 2, 2 -dimethyl propane

Example 1. f

H H
1 2
H C C H
2 1

Br Br

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 2 = prefix used = eth

functional group(s) = single covalent bonds : suffix used = ane.
branch name(s) = Br (use bromo) : number of branches = 2 (use prefix di –
branch location(s) = Carbon # 1 & 2

Name: 1, 2-dibromoethane

Example 2. a
H H O

H 1C2 2C1 C

H H O H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 3 = prefix used = prop

functional group (s) carboxyl group = suffix = anoic acid

Name: propanoic acid

Example 2. b
H OH OH O
1 2 3 4
H C C C C OH
4 3 2 1

H H H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 4 = prefix used = but

functional group = carboxyl : number of functional groups = 1 : suffix used = anoic acid.
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branch name(s) = OH (use hydroxy) : number of branches = 2 (use prefix di –

branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 2 & 3

Name: 2, 3 – dihydroxybutanoic acid ( acid)

Example 2. c
OH H O
║
1 2 3
H C C C OH
3 2 1

H H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 3 = prefix used = prop

functional group = carboxyl : number of functional groups = 1 : suffix used = anoic acid.
branch name(s) = OH (use hydroxy) : number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 1

Name: hydroxypropanoic acid ( lactic acid)

Example 2. d
O O
║ ║
1 2
HO C C OH
2 1

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 2 = prefix used = eth

functional group = single covalent bonds : number of functional groups = 2 : suffix used
= ane.
branch name(s) = COOH (use suffix oic) : number of branches = 2 (use prefix di –
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 1 & 1

Name: ethanedioic acid ( Oxalic acid)

Example 2. e
O
║
2 1
H N C C OH
1 2

H H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 2 = prefix used = eth

functional group = carboxyl : number of functional groups = 1 : suffix used = anoic acid.
branch name(s) = NH2 (use amino) : number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 1

Name: 2 - aminoethanoic acid ( amino acid)

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Example 2. f
O

H C OH O O H
C
C C

H C C H OR

C C

H H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 6 = prefix used = benz

functional group = carboxyl : number of functional groups = 1 : suffix used = oic acid.
branch name(s) = 0/none (use ) : number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 1

Name: benzoic acid

3.
4. Draw the full srructural formulas of the following name organic compounds
below:

i. butan – 2 – ol

H OH H H
1 2 3 4
H C C C C H
4 3 2 1

H H H H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 4 = prefix used = but

functional group(s) single covalent bonds = suffix = ane
branch name = hydroxyl OH (use suffix – ol)
number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 2

Name: butan – 2 – ol

ii. ethane 1, 2 – diol

OH OH
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1 2
H C C H
2 1

H H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 2 = prefix used = eth

functional group = : single covalent bonds : suffix used = ane.
branch name(s) = hydroxyl OH (use suffix– ol)
number of branches = 2 (use the prefix di)
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 1 & 2

Name: ethane 1, 2 – diol

iii. 2 – bromopropanoic acid

H Br O
1 2 3
H C C C OH
3 2 1

H H
Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 3 = prefix used = prop
functional group = carboxyl – COOH
number of functional groups = 1 : suffix used = anoic acid.
branch name(s) = Br (use bromo) : number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 2

Name: 2 – bromopropanoic acid

iv. 2 – amino – 1 – chlorobutane

H NH2 H H
1 2 3 4
H C C C C H
4 3 2 1

Cl H H H
Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 4 = prefix used = but
functional group = single covalent bonds : suffix used = ane
number of functional groups = 1.
branch name(s) = NH2 (use amino) : number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch name(s) = Cl (use chloro) : number of branches = 1 (use no prefix)
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 2

v. 1, 1, 2 – tribromoethane

Br Br
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1 2
H C C H
2 1

Br H

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 2 = prefix used = eth

functional group(s) single covalent bonds = suffix = ane
branch name = Bromine Br (use the prefix – bromo)
number of branches = 3 (use the prefix tri )
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 1 & 2

Name: 1, 1, 2 – tribromoethane

vi. Buta – 1, 2 – diene

H H H
1 2 3 4
H C C C C H
4 3 2 1

Compound name:- longest continuous carbon chain, 4 = prefix used = but

functional group(s) = double covalent bonds ; suffix used = ene
number of functional groups= 2 (use the prefix di )
branch (functional group) location = Carbon # 1 & 2, 2 & 3 [always choose lower of the
pair of numbers]

4. Using the condensed structural formulas below, name the conpounds.

i. CH3CHClCH2OH (2 – choloropropan – 1 – ol)

ii. CH3CHBrCH2Cl (2 – bromo – 1 – chloropropane)

iii. (CH3)2CHCH3 (2 – methylproprane)

iv. HCOOH (Methanoic acid)

v. CH3CH2CH2OH (Propan – 1 – ol)

vi. CH3CHNH2CH2OH (2 – aminopropan – 1 – ol)