Condensed structures are easy to read and draw
Compare the condensed (structural) and expanded (displayed) representations of the hydrocarbons shown below.
condensed (structural)
expanded (displayed)
1
CH
3
CH
2
CH
3
2
CH
2
=CHCH
3
3
In the
condensed (structural) representation
carbon-hydrogen bonds
are not shown.
Each carbon is followed directly by the hydrogen atoms bonded to it, the number of hydrogens being shown by the subscript.
carbon-carbon single bonds
are not shown for carbon chains written on the same line.
Be careful to draw the bonds from chain to branch carbon atoms from C to C. These are the carbon atoms bonded to each other.
carbon-carbon double bonds
are always shown using two lines.
Doubly bonded carbons
are bonded to fewer hydrogen atoms.
If the carbon atom at the end of the chain is
singly-bonded it has 3 hydrogens (as in
1-3
)
doubly bonded it has 2 hydrogens (as in
2
)
Paul Woodgate
© The University of Auckland