Naming Chemical Compounds Worksheet Template Page 3
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44. Extension: Families of chemical compounds
Certain compounds have common characteristics, so we place them into groups or families. The
The group called “enzymes” contains thousands of representative chemicals, but all share certain
critical features that allow them to be placed into this group. Often, the name of a compound
identifies the family of chemical to which it belongs. The clue is usually found in the suffix for the
compound's name. The table below lists suffixes for some common chemical families.
Chemical Family
Suffix
Sugars
-ose
Alcohols
-ol
Enzymes
-ase
Ketones
-one
Organic acids
-oic or -ic acid
Alkanes
-ane
Glucose, the compound used by your brain as its primary fuel, is a sugar. The suffix -ose indicates
its membership in the sugar family. Propane, the compound used to operate your gas barbecue
grill, is an alkane, a compound formed from carbon and hydrogen atoms that are covalently
bonded with single pairs of electrons. We know this from the suffix -ane.
Knowing such information about a compound can be very useful when you are reading the labels
of consumer products. Compound names can be found in the ingredients list on the label. If you
are purchasing a hand lotion to alleviate dry skin, you should avoid one that lists a compound
with an -ol suffix early in the ingredients list.
The ingredients are listed from largest amount to smallest amount. The earlier a compound is
listed, the greater the amount of that compound in the product. A compound with an -ol suffix is
an alcohol. Hand lotions with high percentages of alcohols are less effective since alcohols tend to
dry out rather than moisturize the skin!
In later chemistry courses, you will learn more about the names and characteristics of “families”
of compounds. This knowledge will provide you with a powerful tool for making informed
consumer decisions.
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