Please help! I got 4-ethyl-5-methyloctane but this doesn't seem right
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Well, did you draw it out?
Wait, that doesn't even quite make sense. I can't follow how the structure goes. Have another look at your question, then re-write it in a way that makes sense. How can you have two CH2 groups branching from a CH3?
When you've done that, find the longest continuous carbon chain. That might go through the branched groups - eg if one of the end couple of groups on your "main" chain as it's written branches off into a pentyl group, then going through that group would be longer.
Then number the branch groups according to which way will give you the lowest numbers. E.g. if you had 1,3,6 or 2, 5,7 then you'd name from the 1,3,6 side.
Use standard prefixes - methyl, ethyl, propyl etc - and di, tri etc for duplicates. E.g. two methyl branch groups at the 2 and 3 position on a pentane chain would give you 2,3-dimethylpentane.
A moly-mod kit and colour coding can help you work it out.
Wait, that doesn't even quite make sense. I can't follow how the structure goes. Have another look at your question, then re-write it in a way that makes sense. How can you have two CH2 groups branching from a CH3?
When you've done that, find the longest continuous carbon chain. That might go through the branched groups - eg if one of the end couple of groups on your "main" chain as it's written branches off into a pentyl group, then going through that group would be longer.
Then number the branch groups according to which way will give you the lowest numbers. E.g. if you had 1,3,6 or 2, 5,7 then you'd name from the 1,3,6 side.
Use standard prefixes - methyl, ethyl, propyl etc - and di, tri etc for duplicates. E.g. two methyl branch groups at the 2 and 3 position on a pentane chain would give you 2,3-dimethylpentane.
A moly-mod kit and colour coding can help you work it out.