IUPAC naming conventions of Alkane molecules

Naming molecules using the IUPAC naming convention is one of the first lessons taught in Organic Chemistry! Watch this video for a quick lesson on naming Alkane molecules.

Alkane molecules are molecules with a carbon backbone made up of single bonds. The name of the alkane molecule depends on how many carbon atoms are in it's backbone or skeleton. For quick reference, the basic names of the first 10 alkanes are listed below:

  1. Methane
  2. Ethane
  3. Propane
  4. Butane
  5. Pentane
  6. Hexane
  7. Heptane
  8. Octane
  9. Nonane
  10. Decane

Watch our video and then use the Molecule Namer study tool to practice!