What is the IUPAC name of the following compound?
R)-2-methyl-4-pentanol
S)-2-methyl-4-pentanol
R)-4-methyl-2-pentanol
S)-4-methyl-2-pentanol

Question

What is the IUPAC name of the following compound? 
R)-2-methyl-4-pentanol 
S)-2-methyl-4-pentanol 
R)-4-methyl-2-pentanol 
S)-4-methyl-2-pentanol

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The compound has a total of 5 carbons in the chain. The longest chain is 5 carbons and it is a pentane. There is a methyl group at the 4th carbon and an alcohol group at the 2nd carbon. According to Cahn-Ingold-Prelog priority rules, the substituent at the 2nd carbon has a higher priority than that at the 4th carbon. The alcohol group is assigned the lowest priority. So, we have to orient the molecule with the alcohol group pointing away from the viewer. If we start numbering from the end where the alcohol group is located, we get a methyl group at the 4th carbon which has the lowest priority. Therefore, the molecule is (R)-4-methyl-2-pentanol.

What Is the IUPAC Name of the Following Compound