What do the numbers 1 and 4 signify in a chemical compound such as "1,4-butanediol?"?

Question

I wonder whenever I have to research a chemical like this so I figured I'd ask...

Answer 1

The 1 and the 4 correspond to points on the carbon chain (or ring, whatever it may be) where your constituents are found. Here, you have a diol, which just means it contains 2 alcohol (OH) groups on the molecule. One OH group is on the first carbon, the other is on the 4th carbon. Since it is butane, you only have 4 carbons, so it will look like this:

HO-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH

Since it's symmetrical, either end can be "1" or "4."

Answer 2

In this particular case it means that attached to the carbons at position 1 and 4 there is an -OH group (diol- two alcohol). When you see "ol" (such as ethanol) in a chemicla name you are looking at an alcohol or a compound with an OH group."diol" refers to two OH groups. "butane" means this compound has a four carbon structure. So this is what you have:
HO-C-C-C-C-OH with each of the Cs having two Hs attached, one above and one below

In chemical names the numbers signify the carbon being refrenced usually followed by the type of attachement.

Answer 3

carbon number in the molecule ..butanediol consist of 2 functional groups (OH) and each one attached to one carbon atom , butane consist of 4 carbons in line shape so those 2 (OH) should be on edages

Answer 4

It is a di-ol, the i,2 tells you the position of the OH groups on the butane chain.

Answer 5

It is the position of the groups (in this case the hydroxy groups) on the butane molecule.

HO-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH

ol means hydroxy in organic chemistry nomenclature