Naming Aromatic Compounds

AQA A-level ChemistryAromatic ChemistryLesson 5 of 11

Most aromatic compounds are named as substituted benzenes: the substituent is written as a prefix in front of benzene.

• C₆H₅Cl is chlorobenzene, C₆H₅Br is bromobenzene
• C₆H₅NO₂ is nitrobenzene
• C₆H₅CH₃ is methylbenzene

Sometimes the benzene ring is treated as a substituent on something else. The C₆H₅ group is then called the phenyl group. This happens with amines and ketones, and with the alcohol group:

More in Aromatic Chemistry

• Benzene
• The Kekulé Model
• The Delocalised Model of Benzene
• Evidence for Delocalisation - Enthalpy of Hydrogenation
• Electrophilic Substitution
• Nitration of Benzene
• Mechanism of Nitration
• Uses of Nitration

All 11 lessons in Aromatic Chemistry · All AQA A-level Chemistry topics