How would you name complex organic compounds?

How many carbons are in the longest carbon chain?

Prefixes: meth- (1), eth- (2), prop- (3), but- (4), pent- (5), hex- (6)

What functional groups are present?

[GCSE] Suffixes: -ene (C=C/alkene), -yne (C=-C/alkyne), -ol (R-OH/alcohol)

[AS] Suffixes: -anal (R-CHO/aldehyde), -oic acid (R-COOH/carboxylic acid), -one (R-C=O/ketone), -oyl chloride (R-COCl/acyl chloride)

[A2] Suffixes: -oate (R-COOR/ester), -amine (R-NH2/amine), -amide (R-CONH2/amide), -nitrile (R-C=-N/nitrile)

Steps:

Identify longest carbon chain and functional groups on this chain (A)

Identify carbon number on which sidechains are attached (B)

Name the sidechains (C)

Naming format: (B) (C) (A) separating two numbers with a comma & numbers and words with a dash; di- for 2 and tri- for 3 of the same sidechains

Example:

A: prefix is but- and suffix is -oic acid hence butanoic acid

B: carbons 1 and 3

C: methyl groups on carbon 1 and 3

Naming format: (B) (C) (A) hence 1,3-dimethyl butanoic acid

SJ
Answered by Sneha J. Chemistry tutor

5542 Views

See similar Chemistry A Level tutors

Related Chemistry A Level answers

All answers ▸

How do anti-bumping granules work?


Define the term 'Bronsted-Lowry acid'


Describe, in three steps, how you would synthesise phenylethylamine (C6H5CH2CH2NH2) from methylbenzene, giving reagents and conditions for each step. For each step, state the type of reaction that occurs.


How does aromatic electrophilic substitution work?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning