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11.2

The document provides guidelines for naming organic compounds, emphasizing the importance of prefixes and suffixes to indicate the number of carbon atoms and functional groups. It includes specific rules for naming alcohols, alkenes, carboxylic acids, and esters, detailing how to identify the location of functional groups on carbon chains. Additionally, it offers tips for drawing and naming structures relevant to the Cambridge O Level Chemistry curriculum.

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5 views9 pages

11.2

The document provides guidelines for naming organic compounds, emphasizing the importance of prefixes and suffixes to indicate the number of carbon atoms and functional groups. It includes specific rules for naming alcohols, alkenes, carboxylic acids, and esters, detailing how to identify the location of functional groups on carbon chains. Additionally, it offers tips for drawing and naming structures relevant to the Cambridge O Level Chemistry curriculum.

Uploaded by

noorehirakhan42
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Cambridge (CIE) O Level Your notes


Chemistry
11.2 Naming Organic Compounds
Contents
Naming Organic Compounds

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Naming Organic Compounds


Your notes
Naming Organic Compounds
The names of organic compounds have two parts: the prefix (or stem) and the end part (or suffix)
The prefix tells you how many carbon atoms are present in the longest continuous chain in the
compound
The suffix tells you what functional group is on the compound

Structures of organic compounds

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Your notes

Further Rules for Naming Compounds


When there is more than one carbon atom where a functional group can be located it is important to
distinguish exactly which carbon the functional group is on
Each carbon is numbered and these numbers are used to describe where the functional group is
For example:
Propan-1-ol is alcohol with an -OH functional group
The 2 in the name indicates that the -OH group is located on the second carbon atom

In propan-1-ol the -OH group is located on the first carbon atom

Alkanes
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Your notes

Alkenes

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Alcohols

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Carboxylic acids
Your notes

Examiner Tips and Tricks


Make sure you can draw and name the structures given above.

Naming Esters
An ester is made from an alcohol and carboxylic acid
The first part of the name indicates the length of the carbon chain in the alcohol, and it ends with the
letters ‘- yl’

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The second part of the name indicates the length of the carbon chain in the carboxylic acid, and it ends
with the letters ‘- oate’
Your notes
e.g. the ester formed from pentanol and butanoic acid is called pentyl butanoate

Diagram showing the origin of each carbon chain in ester


Some examples of common esters:

Table showing the Formation of Esters

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Your notes

Examiner Tips and Tricks


You need to be able to draw and name esters made from alcohols and carboxylic acids each
containing up to four carbon atoms.

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