Organic chemistry
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What this topic is really about
The compound CH3-CHO contains two carbon atoms, giving it the prefix 'eth-', and an aldehyde functional group, which uses the suffix '-al', resulting in the IUPAC name ethanal. Option A is incorrect because methanal refers to formaldehyde, which contains only a single carbon atom.
Under the influence of sunlight, alkanes undergo free radical substitution where a hydrogen atom is replaced by a halogen atom. Option A is incorrect because addition reactions require unsaturated hydrocarbons, like alkenes or alkynes, which possess double or triple bonds.
See the mechanism
The compound CH3-CHO contains two carbon atoms, giving it the prefix 'eth-', and an aldehyde functional group, which uses the suffix '-al', resulting in the IUPAC name ethanal. A diagram for this topic isn't available yet — the worked example below walks the same reasoning step by step.
An exam-style question, fully explained
IUPAC name of CH₃—CHO:
- Identify what the question tests: IUPAC name of CH₃—CHO:.
- The compound CH3-CHO contains two carbon atoms, giving it the prefix 'eth-', and an aldehyde functional group, which uses the suffix '-al', resulting in the IUPAC name ethanal.
- Option A is incorrect because methanal refers to formaldehyde, which contains only a single carbon atom.
Traps the examiner sets
- Option A is incorrect because methanal refers to formaldehyde, which contains only a single carbon atom.
- Distractor B is incorrect because species that accept electron pairs are classified as electrophiles, which act as Lewis acids.
- Option A is incorrect because addition reactions require unsaturated hydrocarbons, like alkenes or alkynes, which possess double or triple bonds.
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