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
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