Question

What would be the name of $6 - {\text{ring (hexane)}}$ linked to a $7 - {\text{ring (heptane)}}$?

Answer 1

Hint: Before solving such types of questions, recollect the word root prefixes used to name carbon compounds in organic chemistry. Find the word root in a given organic compound and check the number of carbon atoms for that word root. With the help of this information, the structure of organic compounds can be drawn.

Complete answer:
The $6 - {\text{ring (hexane)}}$ has the word root ${\text{Hexa}}$ which means six carbon atoms and $7 - {\text{ring (heptane)}}$ has the word root ${\text{Hept}}$ which means seven carbon atoms. With this information, the structure can be drawn as shown below:

According to the IUPAC nomenclature rules, in case of cyclic compounds we start naming from the larger ring. Here, the larger ring has seven carbon atoms and the ring is cyclic. So, the base name becomes cycloheptane. Now,identify the substituent. Here,the substituent contains six carbon atoms and has cyclic structure. The ending “ane” of the substituent should be replaced by “yl”. So, the name of the substituent becomes cyclohexyl. Now,place the name of the substituent before the base name.
Therefore, the name of the compound is cyclohexyl-cycloheptane.

Note:
A cyclic hydrocarbon has the prefix ${\text{cyclo - }}$ which appears in the front of the base name. The name of the compound is written with the substituents in alphabetical order followed by the base name. Base name is found from the number of carbons in the parent chain. When you number carbons of cycloalkane, number them in such a way that the substituted carbons have the lowest number sum. The chemical compounds which are arranged as a ring or closed chain are said to be cyclic.