1. Jun 23, 2016 #1

   physicsmaths1613

   

   5-ethyl-4-methyloctane. Why can't we name this compound as
   4-ethyl-5-methyloctane?

    

   physicsmaths1613, Jun 23, 2016
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3. Jun 24, 2016 #2

   TeethWhitener

   

   Science Advisor

   Gold Member

   Practically, it makes no difference. Any chemist would know what molecule you're referring to. Technically (and I mean that in the worst possible way) the correct name according to IUPAC rules is 4-ethyl-5-methyloctane, because "ethyl" comes before "methyl" alphabetically, so "ethyl" gets a lower number assigned to it than "methyl".

    

   TeethWhitener, Jun 24, 2016

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