common name

(noun)

The name by which a species is known to the general public, rather than its taxonomic or scientific name.

Examples of common name in the following topics:

  • Nomenclature of Carboxylic Acids

    • Substituted carboxylic acids are named either by the IUPAC system or by common names.
    • Some common names, the amino acid threonine for example, do not have any systematic origin and must simply be memorized.
    • In other cases, common names make use of the Greek letter notation for carbon atoms near the carboxyl group.
    • Simple dicarboxylic acids having the general formula HO2C–(CH2)n–CO2H (where n = 0 to 5) are known by the common names: Oxalic (n=0), Malonic (n=1), Succinic (n=2), Glutaric (n=3), Adipic (n=4) and Pimelic (n=5) Acids.
    • Common names, such as these can be troublesome to remember, so mnemonic aids, which take the form of a catchy phrase, have been devised.

  • Nomenclature

    • To do so the common alkoxy substituents are given names derived from their alkyl component, as shown in the table on the right below.
    • Simple ethers are given common names in which the alkyl groups bonded to the oxygen are named in alphabetical order followed by the word "ether".
    • The top left example shows the common name in blue under the IUPAC name.
    • These are named as "dialkyl ethers".

  • Naming Familiar Inorganic Compounds

    • Familiar inorganic and organic compounds are often known by their common, or "trivial," names.
    • Many common chemical names have very old and intriguing origins, as the following two examples illustrate.
    • But, it is still common practice to refer to the specific substance CH3CH2OH as "alcohol" rather than by its systematic name, ethanol.
    • Many of the "common" names are known and used mainly by the scientific community.
    • Recognize when it is appropriate to use a common chemical name

  • Naming Aromatic Compounds

    • Aromatic compounds are named based on the number and type of substituents on the ring.
    • There are a number of historically common names for aromatic structures.
    • These names are frequently used in favor of standardized IUPAC nomenclature.
    • This nomenclature tutorial video takes you through the IUPAC rules for benzene type molecules and includes the common names for substituted benzene.
    • Recognize the methods for naming aromatic compounds, including IUPAC nomenclature and historical names

  • Nomenclature

    • Three examples of acyl groups having specific names were noted earlier.
    • These are often used in common names of compounds.
    • In the following examples the IUPAC names are color coded, and common names are given in parentheses.
    • Esters: The alkyl group is named first, followed by a derived name for the acyl group, the oic or ic suffix in the acid name is replaced by ate. e.g.
    • Acid Halides: The acyl group is named first, followed by the halogen name as a separate word. e.g.

  • Naming Organic Compounds

    • Such common names often have their origin in the history of the science and the natural sources of specific compounds, but the relationship of these names to each other is arbitrary, and no rational or systematic principles underly their assignments.
    • Since hydrogen is such a common component of organic compounds, its amount and locations can be assumed from the tetravalency of carbon, and need not be specified in most cases.
    • Likewise, given a IUPAC name, one should be able to write a structural formula.
    • In general, an IUPAC name will have three essential features:
    • Names of substituent groups, other than hydrogen, that complete the molecular structure.

  • Naming Acids and Bases

    • Therefore, strong bases are named following the rules for naming ionic compounds.
    • Weak bases made of ionic compounds are also named using the ionic naming system.
    • Some weak bases have "common" names.
    • For example, NH3 is called ammonia; its name isn't derived from any naming system.
    • This chart provides the nomenclature of some common anions and acids

  • Naming Molecular Compounds

    • The primary function of chemical nomenclature is to ensure that a spoken or written chemical name leaves no ambiguity concerning to what chemical compound the name refers.
    • Each chemical name should refer to a single substance.
    • Today, scientists often refer to chemicals by their common names: for example, water is not often called dihydrogen oxide.
    • However, it is important to be able to recognize and name all chemicals in a standardized way.
    • This video explains how to use a chemical name to write the formula for that compound.

  • Alkanes

    • A common "ane" suffix identifies these compounds as alkanes.
    • The names methane through decane should be memorized, since they constitute the root of many IUPAC names.
    • Fortunately, common numerical prefixes are used in naming chains of five or more carbon atoms.
    • How then are we to name the others?
    • Examples of some common alkyl groups are given in the following table.

  • Naming Ionic Compounds

    • Ions can be single atoms, as the sodium and chlorine in common table salt (sodium chloride), or more complex (polyatomic) groups such as the carbonate in calcium carbonate.
    • CaBr2 can be named using either the Stock method or the older, classic way of naming.
    • To name a compound, the cation name and the anion named are added together.
    • Common, or trivial, names of compounds are sometimes used in informal conversations between chemists, especially older chemists.
    • Systematic names are formal names that are always used in print.