Structure of the Name
The name of an alkane consists of two parts: a prefix indicating the number of carbons in the chain followed by the suffix -ane which characterizes this type of compounds, (meth-ane, eth-ane, prop-ane, but-ane).
Choosing the Main Chain
Find and name the longest chain of the molecule. If the molecule has two or more chains of equal length, the main chain will be the one with the most substituents.
[1] 3-Methylheptane
[2] 3-Ethyl-2,5-dimethylhexane
Numeration of the Main Chain
Number the carbons of the longest chain starting from the end nearest to a substituent. If there are two substituents equidistant from the ends, alphabetical order is used to decide how to number.
[3] 2,4-Dimethylhexane
[4] 5-Ethyl-2,3,7-trimethyloctane
Formation of the Name
The name of the alkane is written starting with the substituents in alphabetical order along with their respective locators, followed by the name of the main chain. If a molecule contains more than one substituent of the same type, its name is preceded by the prefixes di, tri, tetra, etc.
[5] 6-Isopropyl-3,5-dimethylnonane
[6] 2,2,3,6,7-Pentamethyloctane
Groups with Common Names
Some groups receive common names, such as:
[7] Isopropyl (methylpropyl)
[8] Isobutyl (2-methylpropyl)
[9] tert-Butyl (1,1-dimethylethyl)