What is chemistry nomenclature?

1 Answer
Aug 23, 2016

A less exciting exercise than watching paint dry.

Explanation:

Given the vast number of chemical compounds, it is essential that researchers use the one scheme of naming and classification, which allows new compounds to be identified systematically and unambiguously. This is especially true in the field of organic chemistry, which features many types of isomerism. At A level, and in university chemistry, students are introduced to a scheme of nomenclature that enables the systematic and unambiguous naming of organic chemical compounds.

Parallel with this are the so-called trivial names for common organic compounds, which are hallowed by usage, and which most chemists would identify. There should be a few answers here that go thru the process of naming an organic compound; this involves identifying the longest organic chain, and naming functional groups according to given priorities.