Neopentane structural chemistry

The first structure, with all of the carbon atoms in a straight line, is called normal pentane, or n-pentane. The second structure, clearly different from the first, is called isopentane, and the third, different still, is called neopentane (named after the guy who saved the universe ). That s not too complicated, but remember that organic molecules can contain many, many carbon atoms. With 10 carbon atoms, decane (Cj H ) has 75 different possible structures. Using a different prefix for each structure would be a bit cumbersome. So, chemists came up with a different way of naming organic molecules besides using prefixes. This system, known as the IlIPAC system (lUPAC stands for International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry), uses names for basic structures and then numbers to explain the different orientations. For example, the molecule CH3 is known as the methyl group. Pentane is the molecule The isomer of... 

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