Structural formula of citric acid (1 Viewer)

[~ ReNcH ~]

From observing the name alone (2-hydroxypropane-1,2,3-tricarboxylic acid), how can you tell that it contains 6 carbons and not 3 (as implied by the "propane")?
I was under the impression that if a carboxylic acid functional group was attached, then the carbon in the functional group formed part of the main carbon-chain. However, in this case a carboxylic acid group is attached to each individual carbon...why is that? Is the fact that "1,2,3-tricarboxylic" is mentioned separately from "2-hydroxypropane" suggestive of the occurrence of 6 carbons as opposed to 3?

 

[xiao1985]

carboxylic acid functional group has the formula (- COOH)... so each carboxylic acid will contain 1 carbon...

3 = 3 carbon, + 3 in propane = 6 carbons in total

same goes with:

ethenyl benzene/phenyl ethene
the actual monomer cotains 8 carbons (thanks to the benzene ring) but name eth suggest2...

and i believe u r right abt how when functional groups are mentioned separately, it is no longer counted towards the carbon chain...

 

[~ ReNcH ~]

Ah ic.
Coz something like ethanoic acid contains 2 carbons and not 3 (which would happen if the carboxylic acid was included in addition to the two carbons)

 

[xiao1985]

Ah ic.
Coz something like ethanoic acid contains 2 carbons and not 3 (which would happen if the carboxylic acid was included in addition to the two carbons)

call ethanoic acid as methane carboxylic acid if u wish =p

 

[jamesy_1988]

I'll draw you up a picture of citric acid on my chemdraw software.

Check back here in a day or two, i'll have the link for u cos i'll run it off muy website

Jamesy