> I was reading the beginning of CH 4 and came across a question in
> naming compuonds. In sec 4.3B on the Nomenclature of Branched-chain
> Alkanes I was wondering what a substance like this would be called.
>
> CH3-CH-CH2-CH2-CH-CH3
> | |
> CH2 CH3
> |
> CH3
>
> Would this be 2-Ethyl-4-Methylhexane or would it be
> 4-Ethyl-2-Methylhexane? How do you know where to start numbering the
> parent chain is basically what I'm asking in the question? Thanks for
> your response!
>
> Aaron
>
Aaron-
I would call the aforementioned compound 2,5-Dimethylheptane.
The longest chain is seven carbons and I started from the end that gave
the first methyl group the lowest number, making it 2,5-Dimethylheptane
rather than starting from the other end making 3,6-Dimethylheptane.
In summary, first you have to find the longest carbon chain and then you
have to figure out which end to count from to give the first functional
group the lowest number. After that you need to figure out all the
alphabetical rules. I hope this clears things up for you.
Andy Glandon