Name this molecule: C4H9OH.

Name this molecule: C4H9OH.

• A. Butanol
• B. Butan-1-ol
• C. Butanone
• D. Butanal

Answer: (A)

This shows an alcohol. The presence of the OH group is the telltale sign of an alcohol, and with four carbon atoms the simple name for this family is butanol. The formula C4H9OH corresponds to four carbons plus the hydroxyl group, giving C4H10O in total, which fits the general formula for four-carbon alcohols. Since the exact position of the OH isn’t specified, butanol serves as a general name for this family of isomers. The other possibilities refer to different kinds of compounds (a ketone or an aldehyde), which would have a different formula (C4H8O) and thus don’t match the given molecule.

This shows an alcohol. The presence of the OH group is the telltale sign of an alcohol, and with four carbon atoms the simple name for this family is butanol. The formula C4H9OH corresponds to four carbons plus the hydroxyl group, giving C4H10O in total, which fits the general formula for four-carbon alcohols. Since the exact position of the OH isn’t specified, butanol serves as a general name for this family of isomers.

The other possibilities refer to different kinds of compounds (a ketone or an aldehyde), which would have a different formula (C4H8O) and thus don’t match the given molecule.