Basic IUPAC Organic Nomenclature

version 3.0 Updated 2014

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• These materials provide a step-by-step guide to learning organic nomenclature and are intended for those taking Introductory Organic Chemistry at a college or university. A simplified version, "Introductory IUPAC Organic Nomenclature" is also available for high school and/or college or university level General Chemistry.
  
  
• The list of topics given below will step you through the basics of IUPAC organic nomenclature. The first step is to review some basic rules and then work through the functional groups, gradually building the required skills. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you work through the sections in the order they are presented.

• At the end of each section there are practice drill questions designed to test and expand your knowledge through immediate application.
  
  

In order to get the most from this resource, work though the pages in order, first reading the organic nomenclature content pages, then working the drills ! If you are getting the drill questions right, move on to the next content page, otherwise, go back and review troublespots.



• In order to use the materials on this site, you will need to have scripting enabled.
  
• Some of the pages contain interactive images of chemical structures to help visualise the content. These use JSMOL which is based on Javascript.
  
  
• If the practice drills do not work on your computer, please make sure you read the troubleshooting information
  
• Please read the information on using the practice drills before using the practice questions for the first time.
• Direct link to the practice drills.
  

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1. IUPAC nomenclature
   
2. Basic rules
• Basic rules
• First point of difference rule
• Alphabetising rule for substituents
  
• When can you drop the locant ?
3. What's in a name?
   
4. Functional Groups
5. Root names
   
6. Alkanes
• Simple Branched Alkanes
• Common alkyl substituents
  
• Complex alkyl substituents
  
• Substituted Cycloalkanes
• Polycyclic Alkanes
• Spirocyclic systems
• Fused and bridged bicycloalkanes
  
7. Alkenes
• Cis / Trans Isomers
• E/Z nomenclature
• Alkenes as substituents
  
• Polyenes
  
8. Alkynes
• Polyynes
• Enynes
  
9. Haloalkanes / Alkyl halides
10. Alcohols
• Diols
  
11. Thiols
12. Ethers
• Epoxides
  
• Thioethers or Sulfides
13. Amines
• Diamines
  
14. Aldehydes
15. Ketones
16. Carboxylic Acids
17. Esters
18. Amides
19. Acyl Halides
20. Acid Anhydrides
21. Nitriles
22. Benzene
    
• Common substituted benzenes
  
• Benzene as a substituent
• Phenyl or benzyl?
  
• Disubstituted benzenes
  
• Polysubstituted benzenes
  
23. Stereochemistry
• Alkenes (cis- / trans-, E- / Z- review)
  
• R/S nomenclature
  

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© Dr. Ian Hunt, Department of Chemistry