Exploring Structural Isomers of C5H12 Compound

What are the structures of all the isomers of the compound with the molecular formula C5H12?

Answer:

The molecular formula C5H12 has three structural isomers: n-pentane with a straight chain, isopentane with a branched chain, and neopentane with a compact, highly branched structure.

Understanding Structural Isomers of C5H12:

Structural Isomers: The compound with the molecular formula C5H12 has three isomers. These are the different ways the carbon atoms can be arranged to still have the same molecular formula, known as structural isomers.

n-Pentane: The first isomer of C5H12 is n-pentane, which consists of a straight chain of five carbon atoms bonded together with 12 hydrogen atoms attached according to the valency of each carbon atom.

Isopentane: The second isomer is isopentane (also known as methylbutane), which has a chain of four carbon atoms with a methyl group (-CH3) attached to the second carbon. This branching in the chain structure distinguishes isopentane from n-pentane.

Neopentane: The third isomer is neopentane (also known as dimethylpropane), which has a central carbon atom with four methyl groups attached to it - a very compact structure. Neopentane exhibits a highly branched structure, differentiating it from n-pentane and isopentane.

These isomers differ not only in their names but also their physical properties, like boiling points and melting points, due to having different structures.