How many aldehydes have the molecular formula C₄H₈O?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Aldehydes have the functional group -CHO. Looking at the molecular formula given, we can see that there are two carbon atoms (C), one sulfur atom (S), and one oxygen atom (O). The only way to arrange these atoms to form an aldehyde is to have a formyl group (-CHO) attached to one of the carbon atoms. Therefore, there can be only one aldehyde if we assume that the rest of the atoms are part of a long carbon chain.

However, if we allow for the possibility of branching in the carbon chain, we could have a second aldehyde formed by a formyl group attached to the other carbon atom. This would give us two aldehydes in total. Therefore, the correct answer is B) 2.

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How Many Aldehydes Have the Molecular Formula C₄H₈O