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
A.
RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane
oooooooook
RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane
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
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RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane
What about the -ol, -on and -al suffixes?
RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane
RE: methane, ethane, propane and butane
Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org