What is the common name of Dichloromethane ?

Options

A. Methylene dichloride
B. Ethyl dichloride
C. Propene dichloride
D. None of these

Answer

To find the common name of dichloromethane, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Chemical Structure
Dichloromethane is a chemical compound that consists of one carbon atom (C) and two chlorine atoms (Cl) attached to it. The molecular formula for dichloromethane is CH2Cl2.

**Hint:** Look at the molecular formula to identify the number of carbon and chlorine atoms.

### Step 2: Identify the Base Name
The base name for a one-carbon alkane is "methane." Since dichloromethane has one carbon atom, we start with the prefix "meth."

**Hint:** Remember that the prefix "meth" is used for compounds with one carbon atom.

### Step 3: Determine the Number of Chlorine Atoms
The term "dichloro" indicates that there are two chlorine atoms attached to the carbon. Therefore, we combine the base name with the prefix that indicates the presence of two chlorine atoms.

**Hint:** The prefix "di-" means two, which is important for naming compounds with multiple identical substituents.

### Step 4: Combine the Names
Putting it all together, the common name of CH2Cl2 is "dichloromethane." However, it is also commonly referred to as "methylene chloride."

**Hint:** Sometimes, compounds have more than one common name; in this case, "methylene chloride" is widely recognized.

### Final Answer
The common name of dichloromethane is **methylene chloride**.