Can someone explain for organic chemistry naming, when something would be given something like "iso" in it or when we would say "s-butyl" or "t-propyl" etc., with "s" meaning secondary and "t" meaning tertiary.
Here is a try at it.
C
|
C
|
C
|
OH
is n-propyl alcohol. n is for normal.
C
|
C-OH
|
C
is for isopropyl alcohol, sometimes called secondary propyl alcohol or s-propyl alcohol. The iso alcohol has the C, to which the OH is attached, attached to two other carbons. The tertiary has three other carbons attached. For example,
C
 \
  C-OH
 /
C
It's difficult to draw these structures on the boards. I hope this look ok.
I didn't get it right. The central C has only three bonds. Attach another C to the central carbon (the one to which the OH is attached). As I say, it's difficult to draw these things on the board.
The last one is t-butyl alcohol.
Thanks, for the help, although the last one doesn't look right, I understand it now. Thank You.
In organic chemistry, prefixes like "iso," "s-," and "t-" are used in the naming of organic compounds to indicate different structural arrangements of carbon atoms. These prefixes provide information about the branching or substitution patterns in the molecule.
Let's break it down:
1. "Iso-" prefix: This prefix is used when there is a branching point in the carbon chain, and the resulting branches are identical. The prefix "iso-" is added before the name of the parent chain, indicating that the branches are isopropyl groups. For example, "isobutane" refers to a compound with a four-carbon chain (parent chain) and a methyl (CH3) group attached to the second carbon.
2. "S-" prefix: The "s-" prefix indicates that the carbon atom directly attached to the functional group (typically an alcohol or a halogen) is a secondary (2°) carbon. A secondary carbon is bonded to two other carbon atoms. For example, "s-butanol" has a functional group (OH) attached to a secondary carbon, which is the second carbon in the butane chain.
3. "T-" prefix: The "t-" prefix signifies that the carbon atom directly attached to the functional group is a tertiary (3°) carbon. A tertiary carbon is bonded to three other carbon atoms. For instance, "t-propyl chloride" refers to a compound in which a chlorine atom (Cl) is attached to a tertiary carbon in the propyl chain.
It is important to note that these prefixes are used to describe the immediate carbon atom attached to a functional group and do not refer to the entire molecule's structure.
To determine the correct use of these prefixes, you need to identify the functional group and locate the specific carbon atoms in question. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) naming system provides guidelines for systematically naming organic compounds, including the proper use of prefixes. Following these guidelines and understanding the structural arrangements allows you to correctly use these prefixes in organic chemistry nomenclature.