3.6.5

Types of Formulas

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Types of Formulas

There are multiple ways of representing an organic molecule by using different types of chemical formulas.

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Molecular and empirical

  • Molecular formula represents the number of each atom within a molecule.
  • Empirical formula represents the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a molecule.
  • The table above shows some examples to demonstrate the relationship between molecular and empirical formulas.
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Structural

  • Structural formulas show the location of bonds within a molecule.
  • This full structural formula shows a 2-D representation of the molecule identifying all bonds and their order.
  • The full structural formula does not necessarily show the true geometry of the molecule.
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Condensed

  • Condensed structural formulas allow chemists to condense the structure onto a single line.
  • Bonds are removed from the structure when possible and the bond order can be established by considering the number of substituents around each atom.
  • Repeating horizontal units can be summarised in brackets with a subscript.
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Skeletal

  • The skeletal structure omits carbon and hydrogen atoms from the structure and only shows the carbon skeleton with functional groups.
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3-D representations (stereochemical)

  • Stereochemical formulas try to demonstrate the geometry around carbon atoms in an organic molecule.
  • Stereochemical formulas order the atoms and groups into 3-D spaces relative to each other around a central carbon.
  • Typically, a solid wedge represents a bond pointing forwards, and bonds pointing backward in space are notated with a broken wedge.
  • Bonds in the plane of the paper are notated by single lines.

Jump to other topics

1Structure - Models of the Particulate of Matter

2Structure - Models of Bonding & Structure

3Structure - Classification of Matter

3.1The Periodic Table: Classification of Elements

3.2Periodic Trends

3.3Group 1 Alkali Metals

3.4Halogens

3.5Noble gases, group 18

3.6Functional Groups: Classification of Organic

3.7Functional Group Chemistry

3.8Alkanes

3.9Alcohols

3.10Halogenoalkanes

4Reactivity - What Drives Chemical Reaction?

5Reactivity - How Much, How Fast & How Far?

6Reactivity - The Mechanisms of Chemical Change

7Measurement, Data Processing & Analysis

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