Organic Nomenclature

Organic Nomenclature
 Recall:
 Organic – Compounds mainly comprised of
carbon (C) and hydrogen (H)
 Chemical compounds made by living
things?
 Urea- waste produced by living organisms
Organic Nomenclature
 Based on Carbon (C) atom
 has 4 valance (outside) e-
 can form 4 covalent bonds
 Bonds with other C atoms to create chains
 Form single, double & triple bonds
Organic Nomenclature
 Organic compounds can be represented as:
 Molecular formula
 C4H10

 Full structure

 Condensed structure

 Carbon Skeleton
Alkanes
 Hydrocarbon w/ only C and H
 If a hydrocarbon only has single bonds it is an
ALKANE
 Alkanes are saturated b/c carbon is bonded
to maximum # of atoms
 General formula CnH(2n+2)
 Organic Nomenclature
 Naming organic compounds depends on:
 Parent chain: longest chain of C
 Alkyl groups
Branches of atoms off the main chain of C

1. Prefix 2. Tells
for us how
parent many
chain & alkyl
alkyl groups
groups
 Structural isomers
 They have the same molecular formula, but a different
arrangement of atoms.
 Ex. Molecular Formula: C5H12

As the number of carbon atoms in the molecule increases,

the number of possible isomers also increases dramatically.
C20H42 has more than 300,000 structural isomers.
 Examples: (carbon #)-(alkyl)(parent)

Pentane

Heptane

3 4 5 6 7

2 1

3-methyl heptane
Alkanes
 Steps in naming:
1. Find the longest parent chain w/ chained akyl groups

Parent : “Prefix” + “ane” to the end

2. # the carbon atoms starting at the end w/ the closest alkyl group
3. Name the alkyl group

- (location on C) – “prefix”+ “yl” to ending + parent

4. If there is more than one of the same alkyl group

- (location, location) – “prefix 2” “prefix 1” + “yl”

+ parent
5. List alkyl groups in alphabetical order
6. Write dashes (-) between #s and names
 Examples: (carbon #)-(alkyl)(parent)
3-methyl

1 2 3 4 5 6

2-methyl
3-ethyl

3-ethyl -2,3-dimethyl hexane

*Tells us how many branches

*If there is more than one of the

same alkyl group, add prefix
and comma (,) between #s
 Sketch

1) Butane

2) 3- butyl – 2, 2 - dimethyl octane

Cycloalkanes

 Carbon
C5H10
atoms may bond to each other
and form a cyclic structure called a
ring.
 General formula CnH2n
Naming Cycloalkanes:
1.The ring is the parent chain. Add the prefix “cyclo”before the
parent chain.
2. The ring structure is not the longest carbon chain, then
name it as a branch with the prefix “cyclo” and ends in “yl”.
 Examples: cyclo “prefix” “ane”

Methylcyclopantane 1-ethyl-2,5-dimethylcyclohexane

*Tells us how many branches

*If there is more than one of the

same alkyl group, add prefix
and comma (,) between #s
 Examples: cyclo “prefix” “ane”

1-ehyl-2,5- 2-cyclobutylpentane
dimethylcycloheptane

*Tells us how many branches

*If there is more than one of the

same alkyl group, add prefix
and comma (,) between #s
Cyclic hydrocarbons
 Naming: Add prefix “cyclo”
 1. Determine if the ring is parent or branch
 2. # the ring clockwise or counter clockwise to
get smallest # for branches
 3. If there is 1 branch, do not state location
 4. Otherwise
 (location) + “prefix” “yl” + “cyclo” parent
 If alkyl group is a ring
 (location) + cyclo (prefix) “yl” + parent
Homework
page 221: 8, 9