How many double bonds has the following compound: C_10H_14O_2C10H14O2?

1 Answer
Jul 7, 2018

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

Explanation:

We got C_10H_14O_2C10H14O2....the saturated formula would be C_10H_22O_2C10H22O2, C_nH_(2n+2)O_mCnH2n+2Om...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_2C6H4R2 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.