Naming Carbonyl Compounds

AQA A-level ChemistryAldehydes and KetonesLesson 2 of 9

Carbonyl compounds are named from the longest carbon chain containing the C=O group.

Aldehydes use the suffix -al. The CHO carbon is always carbon 1, so no position number is needed for the carbonyl group:
• HCHO methanal
• CH₃CHO ethanal
• CH₃CH₂CHO propanal
• CH₃CH₂CH₂CHO butanal

Side chains are numbered from the CHO carbon, so (CH₃)₂CHCHO is 2-methylpropanal.

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Naming Carbonyl Compounds

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