What is the name of this compound?

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Answer 1 · 2017-01-20T21:23:54

The name is 4-(1-methylethyl)heptane.

Step 1. Find the longest continuous carbon chain.

Longest chain

The longest continuous chain is marked by the horizontal red line.

It has seven carbon atoms, and it contains only #"C-C"# and #"C-H"# single bonds, so the parent name is heptane.

Step 2. Number the carbon atoms from one end to the other.

Numbered

Step 3. Locate and identify the side-chains.

Side chain

There is a group attached to carbon 4.

Its longest continuous chain contains two carbon atoms, so it is an ethyl group.

It has a methyl group attached to carbon 1 (the carbon that is attached to the main chain), so it is a 1-methylethyl group.

Step 4. Insert the name of the group with its locating number in front of the name of the parent chain.

The group is attached to carbon 4 of the parent chain, so the name of the compound is 4-(1-methylethyl)heptane.

NOTE: The names of groups that contain numbers are enclosed in parentheses.