I've been asked to find the IUPAC name for polyvinyl acetate. when i type it in google i keep getting butan-2-yl acetate. but isn't the IUPAC name for acetate ethanoate ..?

so would the proper IUPAC name for PVA be butan-2-yl ethanoate?

I searched google and found what you found EXCEPT for this one.

I don't know about its authenticity. http://books.google.com/books?id=rka3nPiiRi4C&pg=PA386&lpg=PA386&dq=IUPAC+name+polyvinyl+acetate&source=bl&ots=YOLfXOcLLS&sig=390LQ3Gm9YdgAXQZ8zGLIb4Swig&hl=en&ei=WvGWS5u2JaWA8gaRwuw6&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CBkQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=&f=false

The correct IUPAC name for polyvinyl acetate is poly(ethenyl ethanoate). Polyvinyl acetate is a polymer made up of repeating units of vinyl acetate (ethenyl ethanoate). On the other hand, butan-2-yl acetate refers to a specific compound, which is different from polyvinyl acetate. So, the term "butan-2-yl ethanoate" is not the IUPAC name for polyvinyl acetate.

To find the IUPAC name for polyvinyl acetate (PVA), we first need to understand the structure of the compound. Polyvinyl acetate is a polymer made up of repeating units of vinyl acetate. Each vinyl acetate monomer consists of a vinyl group (C2H3) attached to an acetate group (CH3COO).

The IUPAC naming rules dictate that for a polymer like PVA, we focus on the repeating unit to determine the name. In this case, the vinyl acetate monomer is the repeating unit.

The IUPAC name for acetate is actually ethanoate, you are correct. So, the correct IUPAC name for vinyl acetate is ethenyl ethanoate.

Since PVA is a polymer of vinyl acetate, we need to indicate that it is a polymer. The standard way to do this is by using the prefix "poly-". Therefore, the final IUPAC name for polyvinyl acetate is poly(ethenyl ethanoate).

It's important to note that when you searched on Google, the name "butan-2-yl acetate" is unrelated to polyvinyl acetate. This is likely due to a misunderstanding or a different search result that is not relevant to PVA.

Remember, when in doubt about chemical naming, it is always advisable to consult reliable sources such as IUPAC recommendations or chemical databases to ensure accurate information.