Concept: Glycerol is a three-carbon alcohol with one hydroxyl group on each carbon.
Explanation: The structure of glycerol is
HOCH2​−CHOH−CH2​OH.
The longest continuous carbon chain contains three carbon atoms joined by single bonds, so the parent hydrocarbon is
propane.
Each carbon carries a hydroxyl group,
−OH, giving three such groups in total.
According to IUPAC nomenclature, the presence of three hydroxyl groups is indicated by the suffix
-triol.
Numbering the chain from either end places the
−OH groups at positions
1,
2, and
3.
Combining the parent name with the suffix and locants gives the IUPAC name
propane-1,2,3-triol.
Answer: propane-1,2,3-triol