Question

How many double bonds has the following compound: `C_10H_14O_2`?

Answer 1

Well, what is the degree of unsaturation of this molecule?

Explanation:

We got `C_10H_14O_2`....the saturated formula would be `C_10H_22O_2`, `C_nH_(2n+2)O_m`...and thus there are FOUR DEGREES of unsaturation. And each degree of unsaturation corresponds to a double bond OR a ring... And so there COULD be FOUR olefinic bonds in the formula, or four rings, or carbonyl groups, or a mixture... Note that an aryl ring `C_6H_4R_2` corresponds to four degrees of unsaturation...i.e. three formal double bonds constrained in a ring. But we can't go much farther with this question without more data.