Why is the correct name 5-cyclopentyl-2-methylheptane rather than 2-methyl-5-cyclopentylheptane? I am using the 2nd edition Hornback Organic Chemistry textbook. I got this answer from the solutions manual.
I have searched the textbook and the internet for the explanation and am still very confused. I thought the order of the side chain in the name was alphabetical, not including the prefixes? So by this logic, "methyl" should be before "pentyl," right?
Help! Thanks :)
