How are C-C bonds represented in bond line notation?

1 Answer
Mar 2, 2018

Perhaps the first question one would ask when curious about organic chemistry!

An ethane molecule H3CCH3 is merely,

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Each terminal end has three hydrogens! It's that easy!

However, when we connect these lines into a chain or into a ring is when things may seem confusing. Consider propane and cyclopropane, respectively,

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Where each line connects is a CH2 group.

If there are substituents anywhere, you'd merely understand that it has one less hydrogen.

I remember when I started organic chemistry 1, we completely dropped Lewis structures by week 2! So getting this stuff very quick is important or organic chemist's drawings look like hieroglyphs.