IUPAC Nomenclature - General Structure

Description:

Structure

For example: The IUPAC name of the given compound is 4 − Methyl − pentan − 2 − ol

Functional Group

Note − Name of the functional group changes when it acts as a prefix and suffix (as given in the table below).

Class of compounds	Functional group structure	IUPAC group-Prefix	IUPAC group-Suffix	Example
Alkanes	-		-ane	Butane CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₃
Alkenes	-C = C-	-	-ene	But-1-ene CH₂ = CH - CH₂CH₃
Alkynes	-C ≡ C-	-	-yne	But-1-yne HC ≡ C - CH₂CH₃
Arenes	-	-	-	Benzene
Halidies	-X (X = F,Cl,Br,I)	Halo	-	1-Bromobutane (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂Br)
Alcohols	-OH	Hydroxy	-ol	Butan-1-ol (CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OH)
Aldehydes	-CHO	Formyl or oxo	-al	Butan-1-al CH₃CH₂CH₂CHO
Ketones	-C = O	oxo	-one	Butan-2-one CH₃ - CO - CH₂CH₃
Nitriles	-C ≡ N	cyano	nitrile	Butane nitrile CH₃CH₂CH₂CN
Ethers	R - O - R	alkoxy	-	Ethoxy ethane C₂H₅ - O - C₂H₅
Carboxylic Acids	R - COOH	-	-oic acid	Butanoic acid CH₃CH₂CH₂COOH
Carboxylate ions	R - COO^-	-	-oate	Sodium butanote CH₃CH₂CH₂COO^-Na⁺
Esters	RCOOR	Alkoxycarbonyl	-oate	Methyl Propanoate CH₃CH₂COOCH₃
Actyl halides	RCOCl	Halo carbonyl	-oyl halide	Butanoyl chloride CH₃CH₂CH₂COCl
Amines	RNH₂	Amino	-amine	Butanamine CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂NH₂
Amides	RCONH₂	-carbamoyl	-amide	Propanamide CH₃CH₂CONH₂
Nitro Compounds	RNO₂	Nitro	-	1-nitrobutane CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂NO₂
Sulphonic acids	-SO₃H	Sulpho	Sulphonic acid	Methyl sulphonic acid CH₃SO₃H

Compare the two cases where OH acts as a suffix and prefix.

Structure	Description	IUPAC Name
	Principal functional group (suffix) – OH Substituent (prefix) – Cl #C – 5 (pent)	4 − Chloropentan − 2 − ol
	Principal functional group (suffix) – COOH Substituents (prefix) – OH, Cl (chloro precedes hydroxyl alphabetically). #C – 5 (pent).	4 − Chloro − 2 − hydroxy − pentanoic acid

Structure

Description

IUPAC Name

4 − Chloropentan − 2 − ol

4 − Chloro − 2 − hydroxy − pentanoic acid

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