Ketones

Structure

Common Name

IUPAC name

acetone (dimethyl ketone)

Propanone

Ethyl methyl ketone

2-Butanone

Methyl phenyl ketone

Acetophenone

Ketones are carbonyl containing compounds with two carbons attached to the carbonyl carbon.  Common names include the suffix name of ketone, preceded by the names of the alkyl or aryl groups.  For example, a 3-carbon ketone has the common name of dimethyl ketone or acetone, which is more commonly used (note that even the common name ends in -one, which designates a ketone).  A 4-carbon ketone would be ethyl methyl ketone.  IUPAC names include the carbon number prefix attached to the -one suffix (e.g., a 4-carbon ketone begins Butan- followed by the -one suffix to give Butanone (usually you need to specific which carbon the carbonyl carbon is, but for butanone, it is not necessary since only one butanone can exisit).  Aromatic ketones include the -phenone suffix, as for the acetophenone shown above.