Naming Nitriles - Online Tutor, Practice Problems & Exam Prep

Naming nitriles is straightforward: take the alkane chain name and add the suffix "nitrile" without dropping the final "e." For example, a five-carbon chain with a nitrile group is called pentanenitrile. Substituents are indicated with numbers based on their position in the chain. Understanding this naming convention is essential for identifying and working with nitriles in organic chemistry, as they are significant functional groups in various reactions and syntheses.

Nitrile Nomenclature

Let's learn how to name nitriles. Nitriles are honestly the easiest functional group to name because there's nothing tricky about them. All you're going to do is you're going to take the name of your alkane chain and you're going to add the suffix nitrile to the name. Guess what? You're not even going to drop the E, so don't. Don't drop the E. Just literally add the word nitrile at the end. Substituents are named using numbers. They're located using numbers. In this case, this would be a 5 carbon chain that has a nitrile group on it. This would be pentanenitrile. Notice that I kept the E. Don't drop it because then it's going to look weird. Pentanenitrile and that's it. We've got a practice problem. Go ahead and see if you can name it and then I'll give you the answer.

Name the structure

The only possibly tricky thing about naming nitriles is that you have to remember to include that first carbon in the carbon chain, meaning that this is your first carbon and it's part of a 4 carbon chain. This is going to be butanenitrile. Now I just need to name my substituents which appear to be 2,3-dimethyl. It's going to be 2,3-dimethyl butanenitrile. So easy. Don't you wish every topic was like this in organic chemistry? Here's another one. Go ahead and try to draw it and then I'll give you the answer.

Draw the molecule

Here we go, 6 carbon chain. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Now that 6 carbon is part of the nitrile, so then I would draw C≡N. Six carbons. This is my one carbon, so then I have a C2-amino that's going to be NH2 and a C4-bromo. That's it. All right. Let's move on to the next topic.

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

How do you name nitriles in organic chemistry?

Naming nitriles in organic chemistry is straightforward. You take the name of the corresponding alkane chain and add the suffix 'nitrile' without dropping the final 'e'. For example, a five-carbon chain with a nitrile group is called pentanenitrile. Substituents are indicated with numbers based on their position in the chain. This naming convention is essential for identifying and working with nitriles in various reactions and syntheses.

What is the IUPAC name for a five-carbon chain with a nitrile group?

The IUPAC name for a five-carbon chain with a nitrile group is pentanenitrile. In this naming convention, you take the name of the alkane chain (pentane) and add the suffix 'nitrile' without dropping the final 'e'. Therefore, the name is pentanenitrile.

Do you drop the 'e' when naming nitriles?

No, you do not drop the 'e' when naming nitriles. You simply add the suffix 'nitrile' to the name of the alkane chain. For example, a five-carbon chain with a nitrile group is named pentanenitrile, not pentantrile.

How are substituents indicated in the naming of nitriles?

Substituents in the naming of nitriles are indicated using numbers based on their position in the carbon chain. For example, if you have a methyl group on the second carbon of a five-carbon chain with a nitrile group, it would be named 2-methylpentanenitrile. The numbers help in identifying the exact position of the substituents on the chain.

What is the significance of understanding the naming convention of nitriles in organic chemistry?

Understanding the naming convention of nitriles is crucial in organic chemistry because it allows for the accurate identification and communication of chemical structures. Nitriles are significant functional groups involved in various reactions and syntheses. Proper naming ensures clarity and precision in scientific discussions, research, and documentation.