4.3 IUPAC NOMENCLATURE OF ALKANES, ALKYL HALIDES,
AND ALCOHOLS
- Common (trivial) names: the older names for organic compounds
- Acetic acid: acetum (Latin: vinegar).
- Formic acid: formicae (Latin: ants).
- IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) names: the
formal system of nomenclature for organic compounds
Table 4.4 The Unbranched Alkanes
Number of
Carbons (n) Name^
Formula
(CnH 2 n+2)
Number of
Carbons (n) Name^
Formula
(CnH 2 n+2)
1 Methane CH 4 17 Heptadecane C 17 H 36
2 Ethane C 2 H 6 18 Octadecane C 18 H 38
3 Propane C 3 H 8 19 Nonadecane C 19 H 40
4 Butane C 4 H 10 20 Eicosane C 20 H 42
5 Pentane C 5 H 12 21 Henicosane C 21 H 44
6 Hexane C 6 H 14 22 Docosane C 22 H 46
7 Heptane C 7 H 16 23 Tricosane C 23 H 48
8 Octane C 8 H 18 30 Triacontane C 30 H 62
9 Nonane C 9 H 20 31 Hentriacontane C 30 H 62
10 Decane C 10 H 22 40 Tetracontane C 40 H 82
11 Undecane C 11 H 24 50 Pentacontane C 50 H 102
12 Dodecane C 12 H 26 60 Hexacontane C 60 H 122
13 Tridecane C 13 H 28 70 Heptacontane C 70 H 142
14 Tetradecane C 14 H 30 80 Octacontane C 80 H 162
15 Pentadecane C 15 H 32 90 Nonacontane C 90 H 182
16 Hexadecane C 16 H 34 100 Hectane C 100 H 202
