Question

Among the provided molecular structures—CH₃CH₂CH₂CO₂H, (CH₃)₂CHCH₂NH₂, (CH₃)₂C=CH₂, CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₃, and (CH₃)₂CHCH₂OH—identify the molecule that belongs to the alkene class. Explain your choice.

Answer 1

Among the provided molecular structures, the molecule that belongs to the alkene class is (CH3)2C=CH2 due to the presence of a carbon-to-carbon double bond.

Step-by-step explanation:

To identify the molecule that belongs to the alkene class among the provided structures, we need to look for a compound that has a carbon-to-carbon double bond (C=C). The molecule (CH3)2C=CH2 has a carbon-to-carbon double bond, making it an alkene. Alkenes are hydrocarbons with at least one carbon-to-carbon double bond which causes them to have the general formula CnH2n, differing from alkanes that have only single bonds with the general formula CnH2n+2. Given this, the compound (CH3)2C=CH2 is indeed an alkene, and we could name it 2-butene. However, due to the double bond, there could be cis-trans isomerism leading to two different compounds.