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Topic: naming organic compounds: isobutyl vs Sec-butyl group  (Read 3617 times)

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Offline user11

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naming organic compounds: isobutyl vs Sec-butyl group
« on: June 07, 2014, 05:38:56 AM »
Hi I don't understand why Isobuthyl cannot also be called Sec-butyl, because "sec" stands for secondary which means that A carbon atom is attached to 2 other carbon atoms  and Isobutyl contains a carbon atom that is attached to 2 carbons. 

Could butan-2-ol and 2-metyl-propan-1-ol both Sec-butanol since both have a carbon atom bound to 2 other carbon atoms?

Offline Dan

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Re: naming organic compounds: isobutyl vs Sec-butyl group
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2014, 09:19:08 AM »
sec-Butyl and isobutyl are two different fragments. Isobutyl = 2-methylpropyl (IUPAC) whereas sec-butyl = butan-2-yl (IUPAC)

Isobutyl acetate:
CC(C)COC(=O)C

sec-Butyl acetate:
CCC(C)OC(=O)C


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