Trivial Names
Common nomenclature is an older system of naming organic compounds. Instead of using the prefixes for the carbon skeleton above, another system is used. The pattern can be seen below.
| Number of carbons |
Prefix as in new system |
Common name for alcohol |
Common name for aldehyde |
Common name for acid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meth | Methyl alcohol (wood alcohol) |
Formaldehyde | Formic acid |
| 2 | Eth | Ethyl alcohol (grain alcohol) |
Acetaldehyde | Acetic acid |
| 3 | Prop | Propyl alcohol | Propionaldehyde | Propionic acid |
| 4 | But | Butyl alcohol | Butyraldehyde | Butyric acid |
| 5 | Pent | Amyl alcohol | Valeraldehyde | Valeric acid |
| 6 | Hex | - | Caproaldehyde | Caproic acid |
| 7 | Hept | Enanthyl alcohol | Enanthaldehyde | Enanthoic acid |
| 8 | Oct | Capryl alcohol | Caprylaldehyde | Caprylic acid |
| 9 | Non | - | Pelargonaldehyde | Pelargonic acid |
| 10 | Dec | Capric alcohol | Capraldehyde | Capric acid |
| 11 | Undec | - | - | - |
| 12 | Dodec | Lauryl alcohol | Lauraldehyde | Lauric acid |
| 14 | Tetradec | - | Myristaldehyde | Myristic acid |
| 16 | Hexadec | Cetyl alcohol | Palmitaldehyde | Palmitic acid |
| 17 | Heptadec | - | - | Margaric acid |
| 18 | Octadec | Stearyl alcohol | Stearaldehyde | Stearic acid |
| 20 | Eicos | Arachidyl alcohol | - | Arachidic acid |
| 22 | Docos | Behenyl alcohol | - | Behenic acid |
| 24 | Tetracos | Lignoceryl alcohol | - | Lignoceric acid |
| 26 | Hexacos | Cerotinyl alcohol | - | Cerotinic acid |
| 28 | Octacos | Mountainyl alcohol | - | Mountainic acid |
| 30 | Triacont | Melissyl alcohol | - | Melissic acid |
| 40 | Tetracont | - | - | - |
Read more about this topic: IUPAC Nomenclature Of Organic Chemistry, Common Nomenclature
Famous quotes containing the words trivial and/or names:
“We have cried in our despair
That men desert,
For some trivial affair
Or noisy, insolent sport,
Beauty that we have won
From bitterest hours....”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“Publicity in women is detestable. Anonymity runs in their blood. The desire to be veiled still possesses them. They are not even now as concerned about the health of their fame as men are, and, speaking generally, will pass a tombstone or a signpost without feeling an irresistible desire to cut their names on it.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)