One could represent each element with some prime number. Every compound could then be represented as the product of the numbers that represent the elements that it is made of. For example, hydrogen would be two and oxygen would be nineteen, so water would be 76 or 2^2*19.
-- apocalyps956, Aug 16 2006

Gödel numbering http://diary.carolyn.org/godel2.html
Doing the same thing for WFFs [wiml, Sep 03 2006]

Nine isn't a prime number. Anyway, oxygen would have to be 19, and water is 76.
-- ldischler, Aug 16 2006


and what possible benefit does this bestow upon the great science of Chemistry?
-- jhomrighaus, Aug 16 2006


Sems like you'de have to memorize a lot of numbers and find their prime factors just to find out what it all means. Nomenclatorial script gives an instant view of what elements compose the compound and in what quantaties.

[Frank]; the current system doesn't help in determining the structure of an allotrope and neither would this.

[jhomrighaus]; it gives chemistry ridiculously long, nearly meaningless numbers.

How do you figue Oxygen is nine, even if it were prime? Nine, if prime, would be the fith prime number, not the eighth. 19, as Idishcler said.
-- jellydoughnut, Aug 16 2006


//2, 3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine//
You'd simply substitute the prime products for diethyl and methylpyrazine. (Perhaps in parenthesis to avoid confusion.)
-- ldischler, Aug 16 2006


//How would one distinguish 13 from graphite, coal, diamond, buckminsterfullerene?//

diamond = 13^12 = 23,298,085,122,481 graphite = 13^33 = ~ 5.75 e+36 buckminsterfullerene = 13^60 = ~ 6.86 e+66

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
-- apocalyps956, Sep 02 2006


How would one annotate cis-1,2-dichlorobenzene as opposed to trans-1,2-dichlorobenzene or cis-1,3-dichlorobenzene or trans-1,3-dichlorobenzene or cis-1,4-dichlorobenzene or.....

You get the idea?

also you have no accounting for stereo isomers either.

This certainly is not very well thought out.

Another common dual named compound is dichloromethane or methylene chloride.
-- jhomrighaus, Sep 03 2006


I hate it when people fight over nomenclature. I suppose there are times when it could be useful, like whether or not there should be eight or five phyla. But when it comes to something like this, or even worse, evoking international debate over whether or not pluto should be a planet, then it's just a bunch of gum-flapping.
-- Cuit_au_Four, Sep 03 2006


//This certainly is not very well thought out.//
Hey, the kid's 13 or something. And initially, he didn't know what prime numbers were.
-- ldischler, Sep 04 2006


I like it. It might not be particularly useful, but it would be a great start to a puzzle. something like "with this notation what compound with six figures is used to alleviate pain".
-- xaviergisz, Sep 04 2006



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