What is chemical name for thymine known as?

Options

A. 3 methyl uracil
B. 3 metyl uracil
C. 5 methyl uracil
D. 5 methoxy uracil

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Thymine**: Thymine is one of the four nucleobases in the nucleic acid of DNA. It is a pyrimidine derivative and is essential for the structure of DNA.

2. **Analyzing the Structure**: To determine the chemical name of thymine, we need to analyze its molecular structure. Thymine has specific functional groups that contribute to its chemical identity.

3. **Identifying Key Features**: In the structure of thymine, we observe:
- An amine group (–NH)
- A carbonyl group (C=O)
- A methyl group (–CH3) attached to the carbon at the fifth position.

4. **Naming the Compound**: According to IUPAC nomenclature, the presence of the methyl group at the fifth position of the uracil structure leads to the naming of thymine as 5-methyl uracil. This is because thymine can be derived from uracil by the addition of a methyl group.

5. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the chemical name for thymine is 5-methyl uracil.

**Final Answer**: The chemical name for thymine is 5-methyl uracil.

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