Question

Can you give the IUPAC name for the following `(CH_3)_3C-OH`, `CH_3CH(OH)-CH_3`?

Answer 1

For `"tert-butyl alcohol"`, and `"isopropyl alcohol?"`

Explanation:

For `"tert-butyl alcohol"`, `(H_3C)_3C-OH`, clearly the longest chain is three carbons long, and `C2` is substituted by `-OH`, and `CH_3`. So this is a propanol derivative:

`"2-methylpropan-2-ol"`

For `"isopropyl alcohol"`, `H_3C-CH(OH)CH_3`, the longest chain is again three carbons long, and `C2` is substituted by `-OH`, so

`"propan-2-ol"`

I think this is right, and I haven't broken any arcane rule. Both names seem to be unambiguous.