Nomenclature

Nomenclature Definition:

Nomenclature is the term given to systematically naming organic compounds.

Nomenclature Explained:

The rules of generating unique and systematic names for chemical compounds is important because of the increasingly large number of organic compounds. In organic chemistry, the most widely system of nomenclature is the IUPAC system that comes with its set of rules.

Broadly speaking, the IUPAC rules comprise –

  1. Identifying the longest carbon chain. Also called the parent chain.
  2. Identifying the functional groups and its associated suffix.
  3. Identifying all other substituent groups attached to the parent chain.

*These rules are by no means exhaustive. The reader is requested to refer to any standard organic chemistry textbook for comprehensive understanding.