[blockofwood]

Hello Everyone,

Based on the complicated nature of all the questions here, this may seem a bit trivial..

I have just began my experience with chemistry and I have a question that I have not been able to find a suitable answer to.

When using IUPAC to name a molecule such as 2,3-dimethylpentane  . what purpose does the prefix di- serve? We know by just the 2,3 or the #,#,#- that it is tri-  to me it seems redundant. What am I missing?

My instructors have had no explanation. They respond with "just the way it is."

If someone could enlighten me, I would appreciate it.

Thanks

[Borek]

Using prefixes even shortened name like dimethylpentane is much less ambiguous, even if it is not clear which isomer. Without prefixes methylpentane could mean di-, tri-, ... and methylpentane.

[orgstudy]

Now that in your compound you have used 2,3 etc to tell the position, now you need some else numbering too tell the no. of groups attached ... we ould have use roman but we need to set a standard, , , ,, , so some guys at IUPAC decided to use di, tri etc

It could have been other way but the standard is used as we know it!!!

hope it helps