Who this is for: Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620) students who want naming organic compounds — alkane, alkene, alcohol and carboxylic acid names — to become instant matches instead of guesswork from displayed formulae.
What query it owns: how to understand and revise naming organic compounds in Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry.
Why this is safe: this page owns the naming organic compounds revision-guide angle, while Tutopiya’s Naming Organic Compounds subtopic page owns the learning resource and the free Naming Organic Compounds quiz owns the practice.

Naming organic compounds is the entry point to the Organic Chemistry unit of Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry (0620). Examiners expect you to name and identify alkanes, alkenes, alcohols and carboxylic acids from displayed or structural formulae, and to deduce a name from the functional group and carbon chain length. This guide covers the prefix–suffix system and the question types that appear every year.

Key takeaways

• The prefix shows chain length: meth- (1 C), eth- (2 C), prop- (3 C), but- (4 C).
• Alkanes end in -ane (single C–C bonds only) — methane, ethane, propane.
• Alkenes end in -ene (contain C=C) — ethene, propene.
• Alcohols end in -anol — methanol, ethanol, propanol.
• Carboxylic acids end in -anoic acid — methanoic acid, ethanoic acid.

What is naming organic compounds in Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry?

Organic naming at IGCSE uses a systematic prefix (number of carbons) plus a suffix (homologous series). You must read displayed formulae, identify the longest carbon chain and the functional group, then apply the correct name. The syllabus covers the first four members of each major series — enough to name compounds from C₁ to C₄.

Read the full notes on Tutopiya’s Naming Organic Compounds subtopic page before attempting questions.

The core ideas you must master

Homologous series	Suffix	Functional group	Examples
Alkanes	-ane	C–C and C–H only (saturated)	methane CH₄, ethane C₂H₆, propane C₃H₈
Alkenes	-ene	C=C double bond	ethene C₂H₄, propene C₃H₆
Alcohols	-anol	–OH	methanol CH₃OH, ethanol C₂H₅OH
Carboxylic acids	-anoic acid	–COOH	methanoic HCOOH, ethanoic CH₃COOH

Carbon chain prefixes — learn these first

Number of carbons	Prefix	Alkane name
1	meth-	methane
2	eth-	ethane
3	prop-	propane
4	but-	butane

How to name an organic compound — step by step

1. Count carbons in the longest chain — choose the prefix (meth-, eth-, prop-, but-).
2. Identify the functional group — single bonds only (-ane), C=C (-ene), –OH (-anol), –COOH (-anoic acid).
3. Combine prefix + suffix — e.g. 2 carbons + –OH = ethanol.
4. Check the displayed formula matches — ethanol is CH₃CH₂OH, not CH₃OH (methanol).
5. For acids, remember the -anoic acid ending — ethanoic acid is CH₃COOH.

Test yourself with the free Naming Organic Compounds quiz.

Name from formula vs formula from name: which does the question want?

Situation	What to write	Typical signal words
Displayed formula given	Full systematic name	”Name compound X”
Name given	Draw or state formula	”Draw the displayed formula of ethanol”
Identify series	Alkane, alkene, alcohol or acid	”State the homologous series”
Functional group	–OH, –COOH, C=C	”State the functional group in propene”

Naming organic compounds in past-paper wording: command words that matter

Command word / phrase	What the question wants	Typical naming stem
Name	Systematic name from formula	”Name the compound with formula CH₃CH₂OH.”
Draw	Displayed formula from name	”Draw the displayed formula of ethene.”
State	Functional group or series	”State the functional group in ethanoic acid.”
Identify	Homologous series from structure	”Identify the homologous series of butane.”
Deduce	Name or formula from information	”Deduce the name of the alcohol with two carbon atoms.”

Worked exam-style stems (how to answer the wording)

1. “Name the compound CH₃CH₂COOH.” Three carbons + carboxylic acid group = propanoic acid. Reward: correct suffix -anoic acid + correct prefix prop-.
2. “Draw the displayed formula of ethanol.” Two carbon atoms in a chain; one carbon bonded to –OH; all H atoms shown. Reward: C–C single bond + –OH on end carbon + complete H count.
3. “State the name of the alkene with the molecular formula C₃H₆.” Three carbons + C=C = propene. Reward: -ene suffix + prop- prefix.

When you can recognise the wording instantly, work through the Naming Organic Compounds quiz and Formulae, Functional Groups and Terminology.

How naming connects to the rest of Organic Chemistry

Naming links to Formulae, Functional Groups and Terminology (formula types), Alkanes, Alkenes, Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids. The Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry resource hub links all Organic Chemistry subtopics.

Common mistakes students make

• Using -ane for alkenes — C₃H₆ is propene, not propane.
• Calling CH₃OH ethanol — one carbon = methanol.
• Forgetting -anoic acid for carboxylic acids — “ethanoic” not “ethanic”.
• Miscounting carbons when the –COOH carbon is included in the chain.
• Drawing displayed formulae without all hydrogen atoms shown.

When you need more support

If organic naming questions keep losing marks, work through the Naming Organic Compounds quiz, then get focused help from a Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry tutor.

Frequently asked questions

How do I name an alcohol in IGCSE Chemistry? Count carbons, add -anol: methanol (1 C), ethanol (2 C), propanol (3 C), butanol (4 C).

What is the difference between ethane and ethene? Ethane (C₂H₆) is a saturated alkane with single bonds; ethene (C₂H₄) is an unsaturated alkene with a C=C double bond.

How are carboxylic acids named? Use the carbon prefix + -anoic acid — e.g. CH₃COOH is ethanoic acid (2 carbons).

How do I revise naming organic compounds effectively? Memorise the four prefixes and four suffixes, practise five name↔formula pairs, then take the Naming Organic Compounds quiz.

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