[Organic_lover*]

Hi guys, I need some quick help. I have to describe the carbons of a molecule and found a problem on naming a carbon that don't have hydrogens, however is a sp2 atom. My teacher told me that name it as a quaternary carbon is not appropriate... Someone can help with it?

Thanks in advance.

[argulor]

Hi guys, I need some quick help. I have to describe the carbons of a molecule and found a problem on naming a carbon that don't have hydrogens, however is a sp2 atom. My teacher told me that name it as a quaternary carbon is not appropriate... Someone can help with it?

Thanks in advance.

I believe you're question is quite ambiguous. I can think of many sp² hybridized carbons that don't contain hydrogen nor are quaternary, as most are not.

[Organic_lover*]

Hi, argulor. I understood what you told me but I think I expressed myself badly. In the case of the molecule (an alkaloid) that I'm analysing, this carbon is located on the union of 2 aromatic rings (like on a quinoline nucleous). Once this carbon don't have hydrogens but have a sp2 hibridization, my teacher told me to use another term instead of quaternary to describe this carbon atom, once that a quaternary carbon is a sp3 atom that is linked to another 4 carbons ("my" carbon is linked with 3 carbon atoms and is sp2).

[Altered State]

I've been told to name as "quaternary" every carbon linked to 0 hydrogen atoms, no matter if it is sp3, sp2 or sp, or if it's bonded to other carbons or heteroatoms, f/e carbon from C(O)OH group, would be quaternary.

But on the other hand, that doesn't make so much sense, becouse I thought that quaternary was the name applied on 4-carbon-bond carbon...
Don't really know what to say, actually, hope someone can help us both

[argulor]

Hi, argulor. I understood what you told me but I think I expressed myself badly. In the case of the molecule (an alkaloid) that I'm analysing, this carbon is located on the union of 2 aromatic rings (like on a quinoline nucleous). Once this carbon don't have hydrogens but have a sp2 hibridization, my teacher told me to use another term instead of quaternary to describe this carbon atom, once that a quaternary carbon is a sp3 atom that is linked to another 4 carbons ("my" carbon is linked with 3 carbon atoms and is sp2).

That sounds much better. First thing that comes to my mind is a bicyclic molecule, which have very unique nomenclature.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicyclic_molecule