An organic compound gave the following results C=53.3%, H=15.6 %,N=31.1 %, Molecular weight=45. What is molecular formula of the compound?
Given:
The molecular weight of compound=45 u.
Percentage composition is C=53.3 %, H=15.6 % and N=31.1 %
Step-1: Calculate the empirical formula
Element | % Of Element | Atomic mass (u) | Atomic ratio | Simplest ratio |
Carbon (C) | 53.3 | 12 | ||
Hydrogen (H) | 15.6 | 1 | ||
Nitrogen (N) | 31.1 | 14 |
As the simplest ratio of Carbon is 2, Hydrogen is 7 and Nitrogen is 1, therefore the empirical formula comes out to be C2H7N.
Step-2: Calculate the empirical and molecular mass
Empirical formula weight: Empirical formula weight is obtained by the addition of the atomic weight of the various atoms present in the empirical formula.
The atomic weight of Carbon= 12 u
The atomic weight of Hydrogen= 1 u
The atomic weight of Nitrogen= 14 u
Empirical formula weight= 2(Gram atomic weight of Carbon)+ 7(Gram atomic weight of Hydrogen)+ Gram atomic weight of Nitrogen
Empirical formula weight= 2(12) +7(1) +14= 45 u
Molecular formula weight: Molecular formula weight is obtained by the addition of the atomic weight of the various atoms present in the molecular formula.
Molecular weight =45 (given)
Step-3: Calculate the molecular formula
As stated above, the Molecular formula = n× Empirical formula and the empirical formula is C2H7N
Therefore, the molecular formula is (C2H7N)1 or C2H7N.