Aldehydes

Structure

Common Name

IUPAC name

acetaldehyde

Ethanal

Butyraldehyde

Butanal

Benzaldehyde

Benzene carbaldehyde

Aldehydes are carbonyl containing compounds with at least one —H attached to the carbonyl carbon.  Common names include the suffix -aldehyde added onto the common name of the acid (after removal of the -ic suffix).  For example, a 4-carbon aldehyde is butyraldehyde (butyric acid plus aldehyde) and a 2-carbon aldehyde is acetaldehyde (acetic acid plus aldehyde).  IUPAC names include the carbon number prefix attached to the -al suffix (e.g., a 4-carbon aldehyde begins Butan- followed by the -al suffix to give Butanal.  The name benzaldehyde is derived from benzoic acid and aldehyde.