Organic structures for beginners

Get students away from stick structures as soon as possible!!!
Guidelines for drawing condensed structures 

  • Write the carbons in a chain with dashes between them. More
    C – C – C – C
     
  • Convert dashes to H with a subscript. More
    CH3CH2CH2CH3
     
  • How many H at each carbon?More
    For alkanes
    Three at end carbons
    Two for carbons in the middle of chain
    One or zero for carbons at a branch

     
Dr Sheila Woodgate
© The University of Auckland 2002