Senior High School Students’ Difficulties in Writing Structural Formulae of Organic Compounds from IUPAC Names

Abstract

The difficulties of the Chemistry students from Kumasi Metropolis in writing structural formulae of organic compounds were studied using crosssectional survey design. The quantitative survey used percentages and graphs to analyse the quantitative data obtained from an achievement test and interview and the qualitative survey was used to analyse the explanations given by students on the structural formulae provided for the organic compounds. Students had difficulties in writing structural formulae of alkanes, alkenes, alkanols, alkanoic acids, and alkyl alkanoates. The difficulties of students in writing structural formulae of organic compounds from the IUPAC names could be attributed to students’ inability to identify from the IUPAC names the correct number of carbon atoms in the parent chain, the chemical symbol or formula of any substituent or functional group, the correct position of and number of multiple bonds, functional, or substituent group. These students’ difficulties in writing the structural formulae of organic compounds having been identified, Chemistry teachers are therefore encouraged to hold class discussion with students after each class exercise on IUPAC nomenclature to enable them identify these weaknesses and work on them.