What is the use of Et in organic chemistry?

  • Thread starter amb123
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In summary, the conversation is about a shorthand notation for organic chemistry functional groups. The speaker is studying for an ACS exam and is struggling to find an explanation for the -Et group, which is commonly used for the ethyl group. The conversation also mentions other shorthand notations, such as -Me for methyl and -Ph for phenyl, and the use of a Greek letter phi for the same purpose. The conversation concludes with a comment about the convenience of using shorthand notations in organic chemistry.
  • #1
amb123
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I can't figure it out. I missed this somewhere, and got by with just figuring it as an -R group, but is it some specific group?

Such as epoxy ---(alkoxy & EtOH) ---> n-alkoxy alkanol

Where the hell did I miss this, it seems everywhere in my book now that I'm studying for the ACS exam, but I can't find where the explanation is.

thx!
-A
 
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  • #2
Ethyl. H3CH2C-
 
  • #3
It's an informal shorthand that is fairly popular.

And don't come back if you see a Me- group somewhere...
 
  • #4
Or Ph- for that matter :)
 
  • #5
Thanks! I knew of the phenyl group shorthand, but not ethyl. Lucky for me, I was just treating the -Et as -R and it worked out ok;) Thanks for the tipoff on methyl with -me, I guess ch3 is really MUCH longer! lol!

:)
-A
 
  • #6
Or Ph- for that matter :)

My professor actually uses a greek [tex]\phi[/tex]- ,for the same purpose.
 
  • #7
rachmaninoff said:
My professor actually uses a greek [tex]\phi[/tex]- ,for the same purpose.

That's old school. Not many people use that anymore. Sure is convenient though!
 

1. What does "Et" stand for in "Ok, I give up, What is -Et?"

"Et" is a Latin word meaning "and". It is commonly used in phrases such as "et cetera" or "et al." to indicate "and so on" or "and others."

2. What does the "-Et" refer to in "Ok, I give up, What is -Et?"

The "-Et" is a suffix that is commonly used in scientific terminology to refer to a compound or substance. It is typically added to the end of a word to indicate that it is a compound or a derivative of the original word.

3. What is the purpose of using "-Et" in scientific terminology?

The use of "-Et" in scientific terminology helps to convey the chemical composition or structure of a compound or substance. It also allows for easier identification and classification of different compounds and substances.

4. How is "-Et" pronounced?

The pronunciation of "-Et" varies depending on the language and context. In Latin, it is pronounced as "et" (similar to the English word "ate"). In English, it is often pronounced as "et" (like the word "yet") or "ee-tee". In scientific terminology, it is typically pronounced as "et" or "eht".

5. Are there other common suffixes used in scientific terminology besides "-Et"?

Yes, there are many other common suffixes used in scientific terminology, such as "-ide" (indicating a binary compound), "-ol" (indicating an alcohol), "-ine" (indicating a hydrocarbon), and "-ate" (indicating a salt or ester).

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