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SolutionsNomenclature

1. Name these alcohols

  1. CH3CH2CH2OH
  2. (CH3)2CHCH2OH
  3. CH3CH(OH)CH2CH3
  4. (CH3)3COH
  5. HOCH2CH2CH2OH
  6. CH2=CHCH2OH
  1. 1-Propanol (propan-1-ol).
  2. 2-Methyl-1-propanol (isobutyl alcohol).
  3. 2-Butanol.
  4. 2-Methyl-2-propanol (tert-butyl alcohol).
  5. 1,3-Propanediol.
  6. 2-Propen-1-ol (allyl alcohol).

2. Write the formula

  1. 3-Methyl-2-pentanol
  2. Cyclopentanol
  3. 2,2-Dimethyl-1-propanol
  4. 4-Hydroxy-2-butanone
  1. CH3CH(OH)CH(CH3)CH2CH3
  2. C5H9OH (a cyclopentane bearing an OH)
  3. (CH3)3CCH2OH (neopentyl alcohol)
  4. CH3COCH2CH2OH: the ketone is the main function and the OH is named as hydroxy.

3. Primary, secondary or tertiary

  1. 2-Methyl-2-butanol
  2. 3-Pentanol
  3. 2-Methyl-1-butanol
  4. Cyclohexanol
  5. 1-Methylcyclohexanol
  1. Tertiary.
  2. Secondary.
  3. Primary.
  4. Secondary.
  5. Tertiary.

4. Why not?

Why is the name 2-ethyl-1-propanol wrong? What is the right one?

Because the main chain is not the longest one containing the carbon bearing the OH: CH3CH2CH(CH3)CH2OH has four carbons in the chain that includes the C–OH. The correct name is 2-methyl-1-butanol.

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