What is the general formula of an unsaturated hydrocarbon?

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What is the general formula of an unsaturated hydrocarbon?

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Answer 1 · 2017-06-11T13:56:51

Well, a saturated hydrocarbon has general formula $C_{n} H_{2 n + 2}$ $C_nH_(2n+2)$ ...

Explanation:

And try it out: methane, $C H_{4}$ $CH_4$ ; ethane, $C_{2} H_{6}$ $C_2H_6$ ; propane..... Are these species in accord with the formula? What is $n$ $n$ in each molecule?

Each so-called $degree of unsaturation$ $"degree of unsaturation"$ corresponds to a DOUBLE BOND or a RING-JUNCTION. A 6-membered ring thus has the formula $C_{6} H_{12}$ $C_6H_12$ , ethylene, an olefin, has the formula $C_{2} H_{4}$ $C_2H_4$ .

And thus the general formula for olefins or rings is $C_{n} H_{2 n}$ $C_nH_(2n)$ .

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What is the general formula of an unsaturated hydrocarbon?

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