Question

IUPAC name of t-butyl alcohol.

Answer 1

Hint: Steps to write the IUPAC name of a compound:
1. Identify the functional group (it can be alcohol, aldehyde, ether etc.).
2. Find the longest carbon chain.
3. Number of carbon atoms present in the longest chain.
4. If there is any branched group, identify their position and name them.
5. Combine the element names in a single word.

Complete step by step solution:
Now in tertiary butyl alcohol, there are a total of 4 carbon atoms with an alcohol group attached to the carbon atom.
The chemical formula for tertiary butyl alcohol is \[{{(C{{H}_{3}})}_{3}}COH\], with three methyl groups and an alcohol group connected to the same carbon atom.

We can see the longest chain has 3 carbon atoms, so let's consider the IUPAC name will have propane in it.
Now, the second carbon in the propane chain has two branched groups, one is methyl and the other is an alcohol group.
We know an alcohol derived from an alkane will substitute the -e from alkane to -ol.
We name the compounds in an alphabetical manner, so, methyl will be written first and as it is present on the second carbon. We will write number 2 before methyl, same as we will do with the alcohol group.
Therefore, the IUPAC name of tert-butyl alcohol will be 2-methylpropan-2-ol.

From the above statements we can conclude that the IUPAC name for tert-butyl alcohol will be 2-methylpropan-2-ol.

Note: Tert-butyl alcohol (t- or tert- suffix given for tertiary) is a colorless solid which melts into oily liquid with a sharp alcohol or camphor odor at room temperature. It is miscible with water, producing an irritating vapor.