Nomenclature

(Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkynes)

 Classification of organic compounds

Certain organic compounds contain only two

elements, hydrogen and carbon, and hence are
known as hydrocarbons.
On the basis of structure, hydrocarbons are
divided into two main classes, aliphatic and
aromatic. Aliphatic hydrocarbons are further
divided into families: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes,
and their cyclic analogs (cycloalkanes, etc.).
 Organic compounds are
classified into families that
contain functional groups

Functional are groups of

atoms or bonds common to a
series or family of compounds
and which govern the
principal chemical properties
of the series.
Naming ok Alkanes
Nomenclature of Alkyl Substituents
 Classification of carbon
• A carbon atom is often classified by the number of
other carbon atoms bonded to it.
• Primary (1◦) carbon atoms are bonded to one
other carbon atom,
• Secondary (2◦) carbon atoms are bonded to two
other carbon atoms,
• Tertiary (3◦) carbon atoms have three other
carbon atoms bonded to them, and
• Quaternary (4◦) carbon atoms are bonded to four
other carbon atoms
If a hydrogen of an alkane is replaced by OH , it
becomes an alcohol; if it is replaced by NH2, it is an
amine; and if it is replaced by a halogen, it is an alkyl
halide.

An alkyl group name, followed by the name of the class of the

compound (alcohol, amine, etc.) yields the common name of
the compound
 IUPAC System
IUPAC name has three parts

Prefix Parent Suffix

Location of substituents How many carbons Functional group

 Rules

Find long continuous carbon chain, Number each carbon atom in

the parent chain. Any chain branching off the longest chain is
named as an alkyl substituent

If more than one substituent is attached to the parent hydrocarbon, the chain
is numbered in the direction that will result in the lowest possible number in
the name of the compound.

The chain is numbered in the direction that gives the substituent as low a number as
possible

If two or more substituents are the same, the prefixes “di,” “tri,” and “tetra” are used to
indicate how many identical substituents that are present in the compound
 Naming process
• When both directions lead to the same lowest number for
one of the substituents, the direction is chosen that gives the
lowest possible number to one of the remaining substituents.
• If a compound has two or more chains of the same length, the
parent hydrocarbon is the chain with the greatest number of
substituents.
• Names such as “isopropyl,” “sec-butyl,” and “tert-butyl” are
acceptable substituent names in the IUPAC system of
nomenclature, but systematic substituent names are
preferable. Systematic substituent names are obtained by
numbering the alkyl substituent starting at the carbon that is
attached to the parent hydrocarbon
 5-ethyl-3-methyl octane 6-ethyl-3,4-dimethyl octane

2,4-dimethyl hexane
3-ethyl-2-methyl hexane

3,3,4,4-tetramethyl heptane 4-(1-methylethyl)octane

2,2,4-trimethyl pentane 5-(2-methylpropyl) decane

 Nomenclature of Cycloalkanes
Cycloalkanes are named by adding the prefix “cyclo” to the alkane name that signifies
the number of carbon atoms in the ring.

In the case of a cycloalkane with an attached alkyl substituent, the ring is the parent
hydrocarbon unless the substituent has more carbon atoms than the ring. In that case,
the substituent is the parent hydrocarbon and the ring is named as a substituent.
There is no need to number the position of a single substituent on a ring.
If the ring has two different substituents, they are cited in alphabetical order and the
number 1 position is given to the substituent cited first.

If there are more than two substituents on the ring, they are cited in alphabetical
order. The substituent given the number 1 position is the one that results in a second
substituent getting as low a number as possible. If two substituents have the same low
number, the ring is numbered—either clockwise or counter clockwise—in the
direction that gives the third substituent the lowest possible number.
 Nomenclature of Alkenes
Select the longest continuous (parent) carbon atom chain that
contains the largest number of double bonds. Name the longest
chain (that contains the double bond(s) as by alkane but change
the ending from –ane to –ene. Number the carbon atoms in the
parent chain starting at the end that gives the first carbon atom
in the double bond the lowest number. Indicate the position of
the first alkene carbon before the parent name.
Name the substituents according to their positions in the chain
and list them alphabetically. The name of a substituent is cited
before the name of the longest continuous chain containing the
functional group, together with a number to designate the
carbon to which the substituent is attached.

If more than one double bond is present, indicate the position of

each and use one of the suffixes –diene, triene, and so on. If the
same number for the alkene functional group suffix is obtained
in both directions, the correct name is the name that contains
the lowest substituent number.
If both directions lead to the same number for the
alkene functional group suffix and the same low
number(s) for one or more of the substituents, then
those substituents are ignored and the direction is
chosen that gives the lowest number to one of the
remaining substituents.
 Nomenclature of Alkynes
The systematic name of an alkyne is obtained by
replacing the “ane” ending of the alkane name
with “yne.” The longest continuous chain
containing the carbon–carbon triple bond is
numbered in the direction that gives the alkyne
functional group suffix as low a number as
possible.
If the same number for the alkyne functional
group suffix is obtained counting from either
direction along the carbon chain, the correct
systematic name is the one that contains the
lowest substituent number. If the compound
contains more than one substituent, the
substituents are listed in alphabetical order.
 Remarks
• Take a paper or note book and start writing
some straight chain and branched chain
compounds.
• Rules involved in the naming process is
important. It is not enough if you just write
the compounds. You need to write a proper
chemical name.
• Hence, learn with care.