Degree of unsaturation facts for kids
Degree of unsaturation (DOU) is a way to figure out how many rings or double bonds are in a molecule.
Calculation
- Determine the number of hydrogens that should be present if it was completely single bonded. In other words use the formula 2n+2 (with n = the number of carbons present.
- Subtract the total from above from the number of hydrogens actually present.
- Take that number and divide it by two. This number is your DOU.
Each degree either equals one ring structure or pi bond. A double bond would have one DOU. A triple bond would have a DOU of two (triple bond is one sigma bond with two pi bonds).
Non-hydrocarbons
For the below, use the same rules as above, using the definitions below.
- Silicon counts as a carbon
- Boron, nitrogen and phosphorus each count as a "half a carbon"
- Halogens (Group 7) count as a hydrogen
- Oxygen, sulfur and selenium (Group 6) can be ignored
See also
In Spanish: Grado de insaturación para niños
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Degree of unsaturation Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.