Question

How do you name this organic compound?

Answer 1

The name is `N`,`N`-dimethylmethanamide.

Explanation:

The compound is an "amide". The equation for its formation is

`underbrace("HC(=O)-OH")_color(red)("carboxylic acid") + underbrace("H-N"("CH"_3)_2)_color(red)("amine") → underbrace("HC(=O)-N"("CH"_3)_2)_color(red)("amide") + "H"_2"O"`

The base name of the amide is

name of carboxylic acid - oic acid + name of amine - ne + ide

You put the names and locations of any substituents before the base name.

The acid is methanoic acid, so the acid part of the name is methan.

The amine part of the name is amide.

Thus the base name is methanamide.

The two methyl groups are on the `"N"` atom, so the correct name of the compound is `N`,`N`-dimethylmethanamide.