Question

What is the IUPAC name of the given compound?

A) N,N-dimethylmethanal
B) N,N-dimethylmethanamide
C) N,N-dimethylcarbaldehyde
D) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: The molecular formula for the given structure is ${C_3}{H_7}NO$ . It is a tertiary amide consisting of one carboxyl group attached to Nitrogen. The other two bonds of Nitrogen are filled with two methyl groups. According to the IUPAC functional group priority table, the priority must be given to amide in this compound.


Complete step by step solution:
- We can use the IUPAC nomenclature rules to name the given compound.
-We follow the IUPAC functional group priority table and give the first priority to tertiary amide. Therefore the suffix for the IUPAC name would be ‘amide’
-This amide group consists of two methyl groups so we can write the prefix for the IUPAC name as ‘N,N-dimethyl’. There is only one bond left which is a carbonyl group. By combining all these, we can write the IUPAC name as N,N-dimethylmethanamide.
Therefore the IUPAC name of the given structure is N,N-dimethylmethanamide i.e. option B.

Additional information: N,N-dimethylmethanamide is also known as N,N-dimethylformamide. This compound is a white liquid and has a faint fishy odor. This compound is used in the production of films, fibers, surface coatings etc. Overexposure to this compound leads to lung damage in humans and animals.

Note:Given compound is a tertiary amide group with nitrogen attached to two methyl groups and one carbonyl group. Since this compound consists of two functional groups, we use the IUPAC rules in order to prioritize one group over another which becomes the suffix of the IUPAC name.