The structural formula of a compound is a drawing that indicates which atoms are connected to which connectivities. Several kinds of structural formulas are used to represent organic compounds: dot formulas (Lewis structures), dash formulas, condensed formulas, combination (of dash and condensed) formulas, and bond-line formulas.
“A Structural Formula is a two dimensional structural representation that shows how the various atoms in a molecule are bonded to each other.”Two types of Structural Formula are depicted below.
An Expanded Structural Formula is a structural formula that show all atoms in a molecule and all bonds connecting the atoms. A Condense Structural Formula is that it uses grouping of atoms in which central atoms and the atoms connected to them are written as a group to convey molecular structural information.
Structural Problems
Solved problems based on structural formula are given below.
Solved Examples
Solution:
Start by drawing a skeleton that contains four carbon atoms.
Then add enough bonds so that each carbon atom forms a total of four bonds and add hydrogen atoms to complete the structure.
Solution:
List each carbon atom in the molecule and then add the hydrogen atoms that are bonded to each carbon.
