Skip to main content

Back to the full dot-point answer

WAChemistryQuick questions

Unit 4: Organic Chemistry and Chemical Synthesis

Quick questions on Organic structure and nomenclature: WACE Year 12 Chemistry

5short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.

What are iUPAC naming rules?
Show answer
A systematic name is built in a fixed order.
What are representing structures?
Show answer
You should be able to draw structures three ways: a full structural formula (every bond shown), a condensed structural formula (e.g. CH3CH2CH2OH\text{CH}_3\text{CH}_2\text{CH}_2\text{OH}, branches in brackets), and a skeletal formula (carbons at line vertices and ends, carbon-hydrogens implied, heteroatoms drawn). The examination usually accepts any clear unambiguous structure unless one type is specified.
What is CH3-CH -CH2-CH3\text{CH}_3\text{-CH -CH}_2\text{-CH}_3?
Show answer
Principal group is -OH (alcohol, suffix -ol). Longest chain containing it is four carbons (butan-). Number for the lowest locant: the OH is on C2.
What is 2CH-CH2-COOH _2\text{CH-CH}_2\text{-COOH}?
Show answer
Principal group is -COOH (carboxylic acid), so its carbon is C1. The longest chain containing it has four carbons (butanoic acid) with a methyl on C3. Name: 3-methylbutanoic acid.
What is CH3-CH2-COO-CH3\text{CH}_3\text{-CH}_2\text{-COO-CH}_3?
Show answer
This is an ester. The alkyl group from the alcohol comes first (methyl), the acyl part from the acid takes the -oate suffix (propanoate). Name: methyl propanoate.

Have a question we have not covered?

This dot-point answer is short enough that we have not extracted many short questions yet. Read the full dot-point answer or ask Mo, our study assistant, in the chat for follow ups.

All ChemistryQ&A pages