*The mame sec-butyl alcohol defines a specific structure but the name sec-penty alcohol is ambiguous . Explain


*write the structure and give the IUPAC systematic name of an alkane or cycloalkane with the formulas

- C8H18 that has only primary hydrogen atoms

I want to know what they meaning of primary hydrogen atoms

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Originally Posted by Asoom

*The name sec-butyl alcohol defines a specific structure but the name sec-pentyl alcohol is ambiguous . Explain

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Sec-butyl alcohol is "2-butanol" There is no other isomer that qualifies.
2-Butanol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sec-pentyl alcohol could be (2-pentanol)
CH3-CH2-CH2-CH(OH)-CH3

Or it could be another isomer (2-methyl-3-butanol).
(CH3)2-CH-CH(OH)-CH3

Note that the OH is bonded to a carbon atom that is single-bonded to two other carbon atoms in both cases.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Asoom

*write the structure and give the IUPAC systematic name of an alkane or cycloalkane with the formulas
- C8H18 that has only primary hydrogen atoms

I want to know what they meaning of primary hydrogen atoms

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A primary hydrogen atom is a hydrogen atom that is bonded to a primary carbon atom. That might sound like gibberish, but it's not.

A primary carbon atom is a carbon atom that is bonded to one other carbon atom.
A secondary carbon atom is a carbon atom that is bonded to two other carbon atoms.
A tertiary carbon atom is a carbon atom that is bonded to three other carbon atoms.
A quaternary carbon atom is a carbon atom that is bonded to four other carbon atoms.

The bonds are single bonds.

Here's a reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon-carbon_bond