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methane, ethane, propane and butane
4

methane, ethane, propane and butane

methane, ethane, propane and butane

(OP)

Obviously the names of these compounds do not reflect the number of carbon atoms they contain, and are thus at odds with the nomenclature of pentane and higher alkanes.

I'd be pleased to learn what are the particular (chemical?) ethymologies that gave origin to those four names. Thanks.

RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane

"Butane" is to do with butter.  Butyric acid (now butanoic) is the smelly component in rancid butter (also stale sweat, milky vomit and parmesan cheese).

A.

RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane

lol "milky vomit"?

oooooooook

RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane

4
They originate in Greek.

Methane comes from Greek via the term "wood alcohol".  The Greek word 'methu', which means wine, and 'hyle', which means wood, and the femonine patronomic suffix -ene (daughter of), were combined to form Methylene, which means 'daughter from the wine of wood'.

Ethylene is from Greek either and -ene: 'daughter of ether'.
Propionic is grom Greek prwto (first) + and pion(fatty) + -ic (acid).

An interesting part of the eytmology is how the -ane, -ene, -ine (or -yne), -one, and -une suffixes were proposed for organic compounds.  August Hofmann suggested that in alphabetical vowel order (a, e, i, o, u), the suffixes were to represent CnH2n+2, CnH2n, CnH2n-2, CnH2n-4, and CnH2n-6 respectfully.  However, on the irst three were adopted.  Nevertheless, it was Hoffman, in conjuction with the suffix convention that suggested that the first four, which were already being studied be named as methane, ethane, propane, and quartane, to preserve their existing root, but with the descriptive suffix.  Quartane was replaced by butane, which was originally Butyric acid, because of the previous work, as decribed by zeusfaber, which comes from the acid from rancid butter.  However, that root is Latin (butyrum - butter) and -ic (acid).

Good Luck
--------------
As a circle of light increases so does the circumference of darkness around it. - Albert Einstein

RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane

Beautiful!
What about the -ol, -on and -al suffixes?

RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane

Rancid butter. You learn something every day!

RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane

I once heard that buthane came from Butan - the little Asian country. I wasn't sure what to think about that. But I found no countries named Metane and Etan. So I decided not to believe in Butan either. And now - thanks to you all - I can tell that person where these names really got their names from. If I can remember until then...

Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org

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