2012 6B

[Aileen Nunez 2K]

I am confused on the naming of the structure (CH3CH2CH2)4C. How did you even begin to draw it? Why is the longest chain considered seven carbons?

[Bryan Nguyen 1A]

My thought process for this question is that because I know that CH3 can only be at the end of the chain, there are four of them and the last molecule in the parentheses is CH2, so everything in the parentheses cannot be connected to each other. The last C in the question must be the atom that is in the middle of everything since the propyl chains can't form a bond with each other. The whole molecule is in the form of a cross, with C in the middle and the 4 propyl chains branching off from it.

Another way to think of it is that C can form 4 bonds and there are 4 propyl chains, so all 4 propyl chains must form a bond with the lone C.

There's probably an easier way to think of it but hope that helps~