Select the correct systematic name of each ester.

Question

Select the correct systematic name of each ester.

ethyl methanoate

2‑propanoate

methyl acetate

methyl ethanoate

propyl butanoate

butyl propanoate

propyl butanate

3‑heptanoate

Answer 1

The C double bonded to O, followed by a OCH₃ group is an acetate group. Using this knowledge we can solve the two problems.

Problem 1:

We that we have an acute group bonded to a CH_3, or in other words a methyl group. By putting the two parts of the compound together we can determine that the compound is methyl acetate.

Problem 2:

Start off by counting the number of carbons right in the acetate group. There are four carbons (C=O, CH₂, CH₂, CH₃). We know we have a butanoate; butan- is the suffix for a four carbon chain and -oate is the suffix for an acetate group. Now let's count the number of carbons left of the carbonyl (C=O). There are 3 carbons; we know that that is a propyl group then. By putting the two parts together we know the name of the compound is propyl butanoate.