What is the common name for 2-butanone?

The common name for 2-butanone is widely recognized as ethyl methyl ketone. This is due to the structure of 2-butanone, which consists of a four-carbon chain with a ketone functional group at the second carbon. The term "ethyl" refers to the two-carbon group attached to the first carbon in the chain, while "methyl" denotes the one-carbon group attached at the second carbon, which is also where the ketone group is located.

The name ethyl methyl ketone effectively communicates the molecular structure and functional groups present in 2-butanone, aligning with IUPAC naming conventions that describe the compound based on its functional groups and size. This aligns it with other common names used in organic chemistry that convey significant structural information succinctly.

The names ethylacetone and etone are not widely accepted as standard common names for 2-butanone, which helps clarify why ethyl methyl ketone is the accepted answer. Dimethyl ketone would be a misnomer, as it typically refers to another compound, namely acetone, which precisely has two methyl groups. Thus, ethyl methyl ketone captures both the structure and functional designation of 2-butanone accurately within the context