Chemistry - Nomenclature Question with Solution | TestHub

A quaternary carbon is bonded to four other carbon atoms, so such an alkane must contain at least 5 carbon atoms (1 central + 4 attached). Neopentane, C(CH3)4 (2,2-dimethylpropane), achieves exactly 5: its central carbon is quaternary and all four methyl carbons are primary, so there is no tertiary carbon atom. Hence the minimum possible number of carbon atoms is 5.