IUPAC names give chemicals a standardized way to be identified across science, education, medicine, and industry. They are based on internationally accepted naming rules and help describe the structure of a compound clearly. Whether you are studying organic chemistry, reviewing chemical formulas, or building a reference list, learning common IUPAC names can make chemistry much easier. This complete collection of 440+ IUPAC names includes hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amines, aromatic compounds, and other familiar chemicals.
Basic Inorganic IUPAC Names
These familiar inorganic compounds are useful starting points for understanding systematic chemical naming.
- Water — Oxidane
- Ammonia — Azane
- Methane — Methane
- Carbon dioxide — Carbon dioxide
- Carbon monoxide — Carbon monoxide
- Sulfur dioxide — Sulfur dioxide
- Sulfur trioxide — Sulfur trioxide
- Nitrogen monoxide — Nitrogen monoxide
- Nitrogen dioxide — Nitrogen dioxide
- Dinitrogen monoxide — Dinitrogen monoxide
- Dinitrogen tetroxide — Dinitrogen tetroxide
- Dinitrogen pentoxide — Dinitrogen pentoxide
- Hydrogen sulfide — Hydrogen sulfide
- Hydrogen chloride — Hydrogen chloride
- Hydrogen fluoride — Hydrogen fluoride
- Hydrogen bromide — Hydrogen bromide
- Hydrogen iodide — Hydrogen iodide
- Sodium chloride — Sodium chloride
- Potassium chloride — Potassium chloride
- Calcium chloride — Calcium chloride
- Magnesium chloride — Magnesium chloride
- Sodium fluoride — Sodium fluoride
- Sodium bromide — Sodium bromide
- Sodium iodide — Sodium iodide
- Potassium fluoride — Potassium fluoride
- Potassium bromide — Potassium bromide
- Potassium iodide — Potassium iodide
- Calcium fluoride — Calcium fluoride
- Magnesium oxide — Magnesium oxide
- Calcium oxide — Calcium oxide
- Sodium oxide — Sodium oxide
- Potassium oxide — Dipotassium oxide
- Aluminum oxide — Aluminium oxide
- Iron(II) oxide — Iron(II) oxide
- Iron(III) oxide — Iron(III) oxide
- Copper(I) oxide — Copper(I) oxide
- Copper(II) oxide — Copper(II) oxide
- Zinc oxide — Zinc oxide
- Silver oxide — Silver oxide
- Silicon dioxide — Silicon dioxide
- Methane
- Ethane
- Propane
- Butane
- Pentane
- Hexane
- Heptane
- Octane
- Nonane
- Decane
- Undecane
- Dodecane
- Tridecane
- Tetradecane
- Pentadecane
- Hexadecane
- Heptadecane
- Octadecane
- Nonadecane
- Eicosane
- 2-Methylpropane
- 2-Methylbutane
- 2-Methylpentane
- 3-Methylpentane
- 2-Methylhexane
- 3-Methylhexane
- 2-Methylheptane
- 3-Methylheptane
- 4-Methylheptane
- 2-Methyloctane
- 3-Methyloctane
- 4-Methyloctane
- 2-Methylnonane
- 3-Methylnonane
- 4-Methylnonane
- 5-Methylnonane
- 2,2-Dimethylpropane
- 2,2-Dimethylbutane
- 2,3-Dimethylbutane
- 2,2-Dimethylpentane
- 2,3-Dimethylpentane
- 2,4-Dimethylpentane
- 2,2-Dimethylhexane
- 2,3-Dimethylhexane
- 2,4-Dimethylhexane
- 2,5-Dimethylhexane
- 3,3-Dimethylhexane
- 3,4-Dimethylhexane
- 2,2,3-Trimethylbutane
- 2,2,3-Trimethylpentane
- 2,2,4-Trimethylpentane
- 2,3,3-Trimethylpentane
- 2,3,4-Trimethylpentane
- 2,2,3,3-Tetramethylbutane
- 3-Ethylpentane
- 3-Ethylhexane
- 3-Ethylheptane
- 3-Ethyl-2-methylpentane
- 2,2-Diethylbutane
- 2,2,3-Trimethylhexane
Alkene IUPAC Names
Alkenes contain carbon-carbon double bonds. Their names identify both the carbon chain and the position of the double bond.
- Ethene
- Propene
- But-1-ene
- But-2-ene
- Pent-1-ene
- Pent-2-ene
- Hex-1-ene
- Hex-2-ene
- Hex-3-ene
- Hept-1-ene
- Hept-2-ene
- Hept-3-ene
- Oct-1-ene
- Oct-2-ene
- Oct-3-ene
- Oct-4-ene
- Non-1-ene
- Non-2-ene
- Non-3-ene
- Non-4-ene
- Dec-1-ene
- Dec-2-ene
- Dec-3-ene
- Dec-4-ene
- Dec-5-ene
- 2-Methylprop-1-ene
- 2-Methylbut-1-ene
- 3-Methylbut-1-ene
- 2-Methylbut-2-ene
- 2-Methylpent-1-ene
- 3-Methylpent-1-ene
- 2-Methylpent-2-ene
- 3-Methylpent-2-ene
- 2-Methylhex-1-ene
- 3-Methylhex-1-ene
- 4-Methylhex-1-ene
- 2-Methylhex-2-ene
- 3-Methylhex-2-ene
- 4-Methylhex-2-ene
- 2-Methylhex-3-ene
Alkyne IUPAC Names
Alkynes contain carbon-carbon triple bonds. The position of the triple bond is included in the systematic name.
- Ethyne
- Propyne
- But-1-yne
- But-2-yne
- Pent-1-yne
- Pent-2-yne
- Hex-1-yne
- Hex-2-yne
- Hex-3-yne
- Hept-1-yne
- Hept-2-yne
- Hept-3-yne
- Oct-1-yne
- Oct-2-yne
- Oct-3-yne
- Oct-4-yne
- Non-1-yne
- Non-2-yne
- Non-3-yne
- Non-4-yne
- Dec-1-yne
- Dec-2-yne
- Dec-3-yne
- Dec-4-yne
- Dec-5-yne
- 3-Methylbut-1-yne
- 3-Methylpent-1-yne
- 4-Methylpent-1-yne
- 4-Methylpent-2-yne
- 3-Methylhex-1-yne
Cycloalkane IUPAC Names
Cycloalkanes contain carbon atoms arranged in rings. Their names begin with the prefix “cyclo.”
- Cyclopropane
- Cyclobutane
- Cyclopentane
- Cyclohexane
- Cycloheptane
- Cyclooctane
- Cyclononane
- Cyclodecane
- Methylcyclopropane
- Methylcyclobutane
- Methylcyclopentane
- Methylcyclohexane
- Methylcycloheptane
- Methylcyclooctane
- Ethylcyclopropane
- Ethylcyclobutane
- Ethylcyclopentane
- Ethylcyclohexane
- Propylcyclopentane
- Propylcyclohexane
- 1,1-Dimethylcyclopropane
- 1,2-Dimethylcyclopropane
- 1,1-Dimethylcyclobutane
- 1,2-Dimethylcyclobutane
- 1,3-Dimethylcyclobutane
- 1,1-Dimethylcyclopentane
- 1,2-Dimethylcyclopentane
- 1,3-Dimethylcyclopentane
- 1,1-Dimethylcyclohexane
- 1,2-Dimethylcyclohexane
Alcohol IUPAC Names
Alcohols contain a hydroxyl group. Their IUPAC names commonly use the suffix “-ol.”
- Methanol
- Ethanol
- Propan-1-ol
- Propan-2-ol
- Butan-1-ol
- Butan-2-ol
- 2-Methylpropan-1-ol
- 2-Methylpropan-2-ol
- Pentan-1-ol
- Pentan-2-ol
- Pentan-3-ol
- 2-Methylbutan-1-ol
- 3-Methylbutan-1-ol
- 2-Methylbutan-2-ol
- 3-Methylbutan-2-ol
- 2,2-Dimethylpropan-1-ol
- Hexan-1-ol
- Hexan-2-ol
- Hexan-3-ol
- Heptan-1-ol
- Heptan-2-ol
- Heptan-3-ol
- Octan-1-ol
- Octan-2-ol
- Octan-3-ol
- Octan-4-ol
- Nonan-1-ol
- Nonan-2-ol
- Decan-1-ol
- Decan-2-ol
Diol and Polyol IUPAC Names
These compounds contain two or more hydroxyl groups.
- Ethane-1,2-diol
- Propane-1,2-diol
- Propane-1,3-diol
- Butane-1,2-diol
- Butane-1,3-diol
- Butane-1,4-diol
- Butane-2,3-diol
- Pentane-1,2-diol
- Pentane-1,3-diol
- Pentane-1,4-diol
- Pentane-1,5-diol
- Hexane-1,2-diol
- Hexane-1,3-diol
- Hexane-1,6-diol
- Propane-1,2,3-triol
- Butane-1,2,3-triol
- Butane-1,2,4-triol
- Pentane-1,2,3-triol
- Pentane-1,2,4-triol
- Pentane-1,3,5-triol
- Methoxymethane
- Methoxyethane
- 1-Methoxypropane
- 2-Methoxypropane
- 1-Methoxybutane
- 2-Methoxybutane
- 1-Methoxypentane
- 2-Methoxypentane
- 1-Ethoxypropane
- 2-Ethoxypropane
- 1-Ethoxybutane
- 2-Ethoxybutane
- 1-Ethoxy-2-methylpropane
- 2-Ethoxy-2-methylpropane
- 1-Propoxypropane
- 1-Propoxybutane
- 2-Propoxybutane
- 1-Butoxybutane
- 2-Methoxy-2-methylpropane
- 1-Methoxy-2-methylpropane
Aldehyde IUPAC Names
Aldehydes contain a terminal carbonyl group and commonly use the suffix “-al.”
- Methanal
- Ethanal
- Propanal
- Butanal
- Pentanal
- Hexanal
- Heptanal
- Octanal
- Nonanal
- Decanal
- 2-Methylpropanal
- 2-Methylbutanal
- 3-Methylbutanal
- 2-Methylpentanal
- 3-Methylpentanal
- 4-Methylpentanal
- 2,2-Dimethylpropanal
- 2,2-Dimethylbutanal
- 2,3-Dimethylbutanal
- 3,3-Dimethylbutanal
Ketone IUPAC Names
Ketones contain a carbonyl group within the carbon chain. The suffix “-one” identifies the ketone functional group.
- Propan-2-one
- Butan-2-one
- Pentan-2-one
- Pentan-3-one
- Hexan-2-one
- Hexan-3-one
- Heptan-2-one
- Heptan-3-one
- Heptan-4-one
- Octan-2-one
- Octan-3-one
- Octan-4-one
- Nonan-2-one
- Nonan-3-one
- Nonan-4-one
- Decan-2-one
- Decan-3-one
- Decan-4-one
- Decan-5-one
- 3-Methylbutan-2-one
Carboxylic Acid IUPAC Names
Carboxylic acids contain the carboxyl functional group and generally use the suffix “-oic acid.”
- Methanoic acid
- Ethanoic acid
- Propanoic acid
- Butanoic acid
- Pentanoic acid
- Hexanoic acid
- Heptanoic acid
- Octanoic acid
- Nonanoic acid
- Decanoic acid
- 2-Methylpropanoic acid
- 2-Methylbutanoic acid
- 3-Methylbutanoic acid
- 2-Methylpentanoic acid
- 3-Methylpentanoic acid
- 4-Methylpentanoic acid
- 2,2-Dimethylpropanoic acid
- 2,2-Dimethylbutanoic acid
- 2,3-Dimethylbutanoic acid
- 3,3-Dimethylbutanoic acid
- Methyl methanoate
- Ethyl methanoate
- Propyl methanoate
- Methyl ethanoate
- Ethyl ethanoate
- Propyl ethanoate
- Butyl ethanoate
- Methyl propanoate
- Ethyl propanoate
- Propyl propanoate
Amine IUPAC Names
Amines contain nitrogen and are named according to the carbon groups attached to the nitrogen atom.
- Methanamine
- Ethanamine
- Propan-1-amine
- Propan-2-amine
- Butan-1-amine
- Butan-2-amine
- 2-Methylpropan-1-amine
- 2-Methylpropan-2-amine
- Pentan-1-amine
- Pentan-2-amine
- Pentan-3-amine
- Hexan-1-amine
- Hexan-2-amine
- Hexan-3-amine
- Heptan-1-amine
- Heptan-2-amine
- Octan-1-amine
- Octan-2-amine
- Nonan-1-amine
- Decan-1-amine
- N-Methylmethanamine
- N-Methylethanamine
- N-Ethylethanamine
- N-Methylpropan-1-amine
- N-Ethylpropan-1-amine
- N,N-Dimethylmethanamine
- N,N-Dimethylethanamine
- N,N-Dimethylpropan-1-amine
- N-Methylbutan-1-amine
- N-Ethylbutan-1-amine
Amide IUPAC Names
Amides are derivatives of carboxylic acids in which the hydroxyl group is replaced by an amino group.
- Methanamide
- Ethanamide
- Propanamide
- Butanamide
- Pentanamide
- Hexanamide
- Heptanamide
- Octanamide
- Nonanamide
- Decanamide
- 2-Methylpropanamide
- 2-Methylbutanamide
- 3-Methylbutanamide
- 2-Methylpentanamide
- 3-Methylpentanamide
- 4-Methylpentanamide
- 2,2-Dimethylpropanamide
- N-Methylmethanamide
- N-Methylethanamide
- N-Ethylethanamide
Aromatic IUPAC Names
Aromatic compounds contain stable ring systems with delocalized electrons. Benzene derivatives are common examples.
- Benzene
- Methylbenzene
- Ethylbenzene
- Propylbenzene
- Butylbenzene
- Ethenylbenzene
- Ethynylbenzene
- 1,2-Dimethylbenzene
- 1,3-Dimethylbenzene
- 1,4-Dimethylbenzene
- 1-Ethyl-2-methylbenzene
- 1-Ethyl-3-methylbenzene
- 1-Ethyl-4-methylbenzene
- 1,2,3-Trimethylbenzene
- 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene
- 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene
- Chlorobenzene
- Bromobenzene
- Fluorobenzene
- Iodobenzene
- Nitrobenzene
- Phenol
- Benzenamine
- Benzoic acid
- Benzaldehyde
- Benzonitrile
- Methyl benzoate
- Ethyl benzoate
- Acetophenone
- Methoxybenzene
Haloalkane IUPAC Names
Haloalkanes contain halogen atoms such as fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine attached to an alkyl group.
- Fluoromethane
- Chloromethane
- Bromomethane
- Iodomethane
- Fluoroethane
- Chloroethane
- Bromoethane
- Iodoethane
- 1-Fluoropropane
- 2-Fluoropropane
- 1-Chloropropane
- 2-Chloropropane
- 1-Bromopropane
- 2-Bromopropane
- 1-Iodopropane
- 2-Iodopropane
- 1-Chlorobutane
- 2-Chlorobutane
- 1-Bromobutane
- 2-Bromobutane
- Acetonitrile — Ethanenitrile
- Propionitrile — Propanenitrile
- Butyronitrile — Butanenitrile
- Valeronitrile — Pentanenitrile
- Acrylonitrile — Prop-2-enenitrile
- Prop-2-enenitrile
- Methoxyethane
- Ethoxyethane
- Ethane-1,2-diamine
- Benzene-1,4-diol
Conclusion
These IUPAC names provide a useful starting point for students, chemistry learners, and anyone reviewing systematic chemical naming. The list includes many important groups, from simple hydrocarbons and alcohols to aldehydes, ketones, acids, esters, amines, amides, and aromatic compounds.
Learning IUPAC names becomes easier when you understand the main chain, functional group, numbering system, and common prefixes and suffixes. Use these examples as a quick reference while studying formulas and structures. With regular practice, systematic chemical names become much easier to read, write, and recognize.
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