Editing Alkane (section)

===Branched alkanes===
[[Image:Isopentane-numbered-3D-balls.png|thumb|right|[[Ball-and-stick model]] of [[isopentane]] (common name) or 2-methylbutane (IUPAC systematic name)]]
Simple branched alkanes often have a common name using a prefix to distinguish them from linear alkanes, for example [[pentane|''n''-pentane]], [[isopentane]], and [[neopentane]].

IUPAC naming conventions can be used to produce a systematic name.

The key steps in the naming of more complicated branched alkanes are as follows:<ref>{{cite web | first = William |last=Reusch | work = Virtual Textbook of Organic Chemistry | title = Examples of the IUPAC Rules in Practice | url = http://www.cem.msu.edu/~reusch/VirtualText/nomexmp1.htm | access-date = 5 April 2007 | archive-url = http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20160521132003/http://www.cem.msu.edu/~reusch/VirtualText/nomexmp1.htm | archive-date = 21 May 2016 | url-status = dead}}</ref>
* Identify the longest continuous chain of carbon atoms
* Name this longest root chain using standard naming rules
* Name each side chain by changing the suffix of the name of the alkane from "-ane" to "-yl"
* Number the longest continuous chain in order to give the lowest possible numbers for the side-chains<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chem.uiuc.edu/GenChemReferences/nomenclature_rules.html|title=IUPAC Rules|website=www.chem.uiuc.edu|access-date=13 August 2018}}</ref>
* Number and name the side chains before the name of the root chain
* If there are multiple side chains of the same type, use prefixes such as "di-" and "tri-" to indicate it as such, and number each one.
* Add side chain names in alphabetical (disregarding "di-" etc. prefixes) order in front of the name of the root chain

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Comparison of nomenclatures for three isomers of C<sub>5</sub>H<sub>12</sub>
|-
! Common name
! ''n''-pentane || isopentane || neopentane
|-
! IUPAC name
! pentane || 2-methylbutane || 2,2-dimethylpropane
|-
! Structure
| [[Image:Pentane-2D-Skeletal.svg|120px]] || [[Image:Isopentane-2D-skeletal.svg|90px]] || [[Image:Neopentane-2D-skeletal.png|70px]]
|}