Questions: Why is -diol part of this compound's name?
There are two - OH groups present
There are two carbon atoms in the chain
Diol is always written when an -OH group is present
The compound contains two H atoms
Transcript text: Why is -diol part of this compound's name?
There are two - OH groups present
There are two carbon atoms in the chain
Diol is always written when an -OH group is present
The compound contains two H atoms
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Understanding the Term "-diol"
The term "-diol" in organic chemistry nomenclature is used to indicate the presence of two hydroxyl groups (-OH) in a compound. The prefix "di-" means two, and "ol" is the suffix used for alcohols, which contain hydroxyl groups.
Step 2: Analyzing the Options
Option 1: "There are two -OH groups present" - This option correctly describes why "-diol" is used, as it indicates the presence of two hydroxyl groups.
Option 2: "There are two carbon atoms in the chain" - This is not related to the use of "-diol." The number of carbon atoms is indicated by prefixes like "meth-" for one carbon, "eth-" for two carbons, etc.
Option 3: "Diol is always written when an -OH group is present" - This is incorrect because "-diol" specifically refers to two hydroxyl groups, not just one.
Option 4: "The compound contains two H atoms" - This is irrelevant to the use of "-diol," as the presence of hydrogen atoms does not determine the use of this term.
Final Answer
The correct reason for the use of "-diol" in the compound's name is that there are two -OH groups present. Therefore, the answer is:
\(\boxed{\text{There are two -OH groups present}}\)