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VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Chemistry => Topic started by: /0 on January 04, 2009, 01:58:21 pm

Title: Naming of compound
Post by: /0 on January 04, 2009, 01:58:21 pm

I looked on wikipedia and the IUPAC name for citric acid

(http://www.uspto.gov/go/classification/uspc562/c562s584.gif)

is given as "2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid"

But the longest carbon chain is 5... don't you count the first and last carbon atoms?

Title: Re: Naming of compound
Post by: Collin Li on October 20, 2009, 04:44:17 pm

(Unit 3 Q&A)

There's an answer for this on Merspi

"The longest carbon chain is 3. We do not include the Carbon atoms on the carboxyl groups because these are functional groups that are already named under 'tricarboxylic acid'."

Read the other answers: http://merspi.com/questions/60/isnt-the-longest-carbon-chain-5

(Not relevant to Unit 4 Chemistry folk. Keen year 11s can benefit :))

Title: Re: Naming of compound
Post by: /0 on October 20, 2009, 05:36:51 pm

Thanks coblin :)