Why do some people call ${(H_{3} C)}_{4} C$ $(H_3C)_4C$ $neopentane$ $"neopentane"$ instead of $dimethyl propane$ $"dimethyl propane"$ ?

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Why do some people call ${(H_{3} C)}_{4} C$ $(H_3C)_4C$ $neopentane$ $"neopentane"$ instead of $dimethyl propane$ $"dimethyl propane"$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2017-04-14T08:49:01

Because some people (including me!) are a bit old-fashioned.........

Explanation:

${(H_{3} C)}_{4} C$ $(H_3C)_4C$ , has a molecular formula of $C_{5} H_{12}$ $C_5H_12$ , i.e. it is an isomer of pentane. We could call this $dimethylpropane$ $"dimethylpropane"$ (am I correct in omitting the numbers, i.e. NOT stating $2,2-dimethylpropane$ $"2,2-dimethylpropane"$ ?), but I think it is easier to call this $neopentane$ $"neopentane"$ . Such so-called trivial names are recognized by most chemists, and most schemes of nomenclature.

The $neopentyl group$ $"neopentyl group"$ is $C_{5} H_{11}$ $C_5H_11$ , e.g. $neopentyl lithium$ $"neopentyl lithium"$ $\equiv$ $-=$ $L i^{+}^{-} C H_{2} C {(C H_{3})}_{3}$ $Li^(+)""^(-)CH_2C(CH_3)_3$ ; likewise the $neosilyl group$ $"neosilyl group"$ is ${(H_{3} C)}_{3} S i C H_{2}$ $(H_3C)_3SiCH_2$ , i.e. $C_{4} S i H_{11}$ $C_4SiH_11$ ..............

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Why do some people call ${(H_{3} C)}_{4} C$ $(H_3C)_4C$ $neopentane$ $"neopentane"$ instead of $dimethyl propane$ $"dimethyl propane"$ ?

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Why do some people call (H3C)4C(H_3C)_4C neopentane"neopentane" instead of dimethyl propane"dimethyl propane"?

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Why do some people call ${(H_{3} C)}_{4} C$ $(H_3C)_4C$ $neopentane$ $"neopentane"$ instead of $dimethyl propane$ $"dimethyl propane"$ ?