Straight-chain alkanes, systematic naming

Some systematic method for naming compounds is necessary. The system in use today is prescribed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (TUPAC). The names of the first 20 straight-chain alkanes are listed in Table 27-2. You should become familiar with at least the first ten. The names of the alkanes starting with pentane have prefixes (from Greek) that give the number of carbon atoms in the molecules. All alkane names have the -ane ending. 

Alkanes are organic molecules in which all the carbons are bonded to four atoms (i.e., all single bonds). These molecules are saturated because carbon has the maximum number of atoms surrounding it. Organic molecules are named systematically using a straight-chain or unbranched alkane as a backbone (see Table 12.2). 

With alkanes having more than four carbons, the names of the straight-chain isomers are systematic and derive from Greek roots pentane for five C atoms, hexane for six, and so on. There are... 

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