Question

Linalool is an unsaturated alcohol found in flowers and spice plants.

If Linalool has M+ = 154 and contains 2 double bonds and 0 rings; what is its molecular formula?

Answer 1

The molecular formula of linalool is C₁₀H₁₈O

Step-by-step explanation:

From the [M+] = 154, roughly the number of carbon atom can be calculated

Number of carbon = (154 + 4 - 16) / 14 = 10

Noted that

• + 4 is because we have 02 double bonds, so 4 is 4 Hydrogen added so the structure will become saturated
• - 16, we minus the O to get closed to the molecular formula of saturated alkane
• / 14, we divided by the (CH₂) group mass to find the approximate carbon number

As we get the carbon number, based on the general molecular formula of alkane CₙH₂ₙ₊₂, we get the formula C₁₀H₂₂O, note that adding oxygen atom does not change the saturation status of alkane.

Then we minus 4 hydrogen out of the formula (because there are 2 double bonds), we get the final molecular formula is C₁₀H₁₈O