Organic Chemistry Nomenclature Practice – Naming Alkanes

ByMark Coster

Want to eat organic nomenclature problems up for breakfast? Let’s put the system for naming alkanes to work and practice organic chemistry nomenclature with one big, convoluted molecule – I’m calling it “alkane spaghetti”! ????

An IUPAC name for alkane spaghetti

My previous post aimed to help you become a ninja at naming alkanes, and from there you’ll be ready for more complicated structures. Let’s do some organic chemistry nomenclature practice by tackling a big, multi-substituted alkane. I like to call this one “alkane spaghetti”:

Alkane spaghetti - an ideal alkane to practice your organic chemistry nomenclature
Alkane spaghetti – great naming practice for organic chemistry

Organic chemistry naming practice with alkane spaghetti

Try out the interactive questions below, in order, to practice each step and build up the name for this compound. Let’s start with finding the parent chain…

1) Parent chain

2 & 3) Substituents and numbering

4 & 5) Locants and prefixes

6) Alphabetize

7) Put it together

Empty plate - alkane naming practice complete!

Next course…

How did you go? Did you get it all correct, or were there some stumbling blocks? Did you find this style of multi-part, interactive, guided problems useful? Interesting? And,.. for another course, what would you like now that you’ve conquered alkane spaghetti?

Stereochemistry salad? ????
Isomer  ice-cream? ????
Chirality chowder? ????

I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions in the comments below! 

The 'team' is Dr. Mark Coster. :) Mark makes stuff.

When he’s not making stuff, he’s teaching other people how to make stuff. Mark was one of those kids who loved nothing more than to build things out of Lego. He still feels that joy, but now his ‘stuff’ is molecules that he builds from atoms.

He occasionally writes biographies in third person. ;)

And he still likes Lego too.

Organic Chemistry Explained

Top Picks