2.4 The Problem with the Condensed Formula

Condensed formulas work great for smaller molecules that are mostly in a straight line. Acetic acid looks great written as CH₃CO₂H; so does the banana flavor isoamyl acetate (CH₃)₂CHCH₂CH₂OCOCH₃ (in which the CO means C(=O)), fatty acids like stearic acid CH₃(CH₂)₁₆CO₂H (here we read the CH₂(16) as sixteen CH₂ groups all in a straight line), and formaldehyde H₂CO (again the double bond in CO is implied).

A -C(=O)- unit, by the way, is also called a carbonyl group.

We can even write compounds containing benzene rings; benzene itself is C₆H₆ but if we substitute one of its hydrogens for something else, we might get toluene C₆H₅CH₃, or phenol C₆H₅OH, or phenethyl alcohol C₆H₅CH₂CH₂OH, a rose scented compound.

Great, right?

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