Chem CH. 4 - ALKANES AND CYCLOALKANES

Number of carbons for alkane w/ unbranched

• meth- → 1

• eth- → 2

• prop- → 3

• but- → 4

• pent- → 5

• hex- → 6

• hept- → 7

• oct- → 8

• non- → 9

• dec- → 10

How can you tell parent chains?

Longest chain of carbon atoms for branched-chain alkanes

What if there’s more than one possible parent chain?

Choose one with the most substituents attached

substituent → linked to parent chain

What if the parent chain is cyclic?

Add the prefix “cyclo”

What would you end substituents with?

End in -yl instead of -ane

with C and H containing depending on C #

How do you name complex substituents?

• # the longest chain within substituent → name and # substituent + side group

• # attached is the branch

You want to give the least # of branch towards the substituent with direction

Number the parent chain

1. # the parent chain from end closer to substituent

• If multi-identical substituents, a # must be written for each occurrence and multiplying prefix (di- 2, tri- 3, tetra- 4)

• we want first # as low as possible, if tie for first #, then second number must be as low as possible

2. cycloalkanes

• no # for substitutents in monosubstituted cycloalkanes; only multiple

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