The IUPAC name for the simplest hydroxy derivative of benzene is phenol. Substituted compounds use the terms ortho (1,2-disubstituted), meta (1,3-disubstituted), and para (1,4-disubstituted) to indicate substituent positions.
What is the IUPAC name for the simplest hydroxy derivative of benzene, and how are substituent positions indicated in its substituted compounds?
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The IUPAC name for the simplest hydroxy derivative of benzene is “phenol.” In substituted compounds, substituent positions are indicated by numbering the carbon atoms of the benzene ring, starting with the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group as carbon 1. The substituent’s position is denoted by a number followed by the substituent’s name. For example, 3-methylphenol signifies a phenol molecule with a methyl group attached to the carbon at position 3 of the benzene ring. This systematic nomenclature ensures a clear and unambiguous description of the arrangement of substituents on the benzene ring.