Calculate the minimum number of carbon atoms required to form a saturated acyclic hydrocarbon that c — IUPAC and Nomenclature Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

A $4^\circ$ carbon must be attached to 4 other carbons. To have exactly two $2^\circ$ carbons, they must be part of the chains attached to the $4^\circ$ carbon. A minimum molecular structure would be $CH_3-CH_2-CH_2-C(CH_3)_3$ (2,2-dimethylpentane). This has 1 $4^\circ$ carbon, 2 $2^\circ$ carbons, and 4 $1^\circ$ carbons. Total C atoms = 7.