IGNORE MY FIRST POST. I CORRECTED THIS ONE
Write IUPAC name of the following alkanes:
1. (CH3)3 -C-CH2-CH2-CH3
all the numbers are subscripts. So there are 3 CH3's, C,CH2,CH2, and CH3
This is what my teacher has in my homework. The parenthesis really throw my off on how to name this.
So am I wrong or is my teacher wrong?
It would be better and more conventionally written as
(CH3)3CCH2CH2CH3
the longest continuous chain of C atoms is 5, from the CH3 on the LHS to the CH3 on the RHS. Much easier if you make a model, plasticine and used matches work well if you cdon't have models.
So it is a pentane. There are two CH3s on C-1 so it is
1,1-dimethylpentane.
Based on the information you provided, the structure you described is (CH3)3CCH2CH2CH3.
To name this compound using the IUPAC nomenclature, follow these steps:
1. Identify the longest continuous carbon chain in the molecule. In this case, it is a five-carbon chain (pentane).
2. Number the carbon atoms in the chain in such a way that the substituents have the lowest possible numbers. Start numbering from the end nearest to the first substituent encountered. It is important to note that the (CH3)3 group is considered as a single substituent.
3. The name of the alkane is based on the number of carbon atoms in the chain. In this case, the parent chain is pentane.
4. For the substituents, use the prefixes derived from the number of identical groups attached to the chain. In this case, we have one ethyl (C2H5) substituent and three methyl (CH3) substituents.
Putting it all together, the IUPAC name for the given compound is 3-ethyl-2,2-dimethylpentane.
Regarding your question about the parentheses, it is not a common notation in IUPAC nomenclature. Usually, parentheses are only used to clarify the presence of a branching or multiple identical substituents. Therefore, it's possible that the parentheses were used in your homework to emphasize the number of identical CH3 substituents rather than to indicate a separate group. It would be best to clarify with your teacher for further guidance.