General Organic Chemistry
4.0 Nomenclature of hydrocarbons
4.1 The alkanes $(C_nH_{2n+2})$
4.2 The alkenes $(C_nH_{2n})$
4.3 The alkynes $(C_nH_{2n-2})$
4.4 Combined alkenes and alkynes
4.5 Cyclic hydrocarbons
4.0 Nomenclature of hydrocarbons
4.2 The alkenes $(C_nH_{2n})$
4.3 The alkynes $(C_nH_{2n-2})$
4.4 Combined alkenes and alkynes
4.5 Cyclic hydrocarbons
It is important that organic compounds are correctly and unambiguously named so that there can be absolutely no confusion about what compounds are actually being reported or described. There have been many conventions for naming organic compounds - some have had limit scope or become embedded in common usage and some have persisted over time.
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (I.U.P.A.C.) periodically reviews naming practice, attempting to standardize nomenclature. The following guidelines for organic nomenclature are based on the definitive rules published by I.U.P.A.C. (the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry).
