Isoeugenol is the compound which gives the characteristic odor to nutmeg and contains carbon,hydrogen,and oxygen.If a 0.500 g sample of isoeugenol is combusted it gives 1.341 g of CO₂ and 0.329 g of H₂O.Isoeugenol has a molecular weight of 164 g/mol.What is the molecular formula of isoeugenol?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To find the molecular formula of isoeugenol, we first determine the moles of carbon dioxide and water produced from combustion. The mass of carbon in the carbon dioxide can be found by the ratio of the molar masses (12 g/mol C in 44 g/mol CO2), and the mass of hydrogen in the water by the ratio of the molar masses (2 g/mol H in 18 g/mol H2O). From the given masses of CO2 and H2O, we calculate the moles of carbon and hydrogen in the original sample. The oxygen in isoeugenol is found by difference from the original sample mass. Dividing the moles of each element by the smallest number gives the simplest whole number ratio of atoms, which is then multiplied by a factor to match the molecular weight of 164 g/mol. The correct molecular formula matches these criteria.

Isoeugenol Is the Compound Which Gives the Characteristic Odor to Nutmeg