WAEC Chemistry 2014 Paper

Concept:The compound is a dicarboxylic acid derived from a two-carbon chain.Explanation:The structural formula is $\mathrm{HOOC{-}COOH}$. Each end contains a carboxyl group, $-\mathrm{COOH}$. The longest carbon chain has two carbon atoms, so the parent alkane is ethane. For a dicarboxylic acid, the ending "-e" of the alkane is replaced by "-dioic acid". Thus, the IUPAC name is ethanedioic acid, often written as ethan-1,2-dioic acid. Oxalic acid is only the common name, not the IUPAC name.Answer:Option A: ethan-1,2-dioic acid (ethanedioic acid).