Question

Write the molecular formula and structure of cyclohexane, and also give the total number of covalent bonds formed.

Answer 1

Cyclohexane:

• Cyclohexane is an example of a homocyclic compound that contains only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
• Cyclohexane is an alkane in ring structure but is not an aromatic compound as it lacks alternate double bonds and other criteria.
• Hexane indicates that it is a six Carbon molecule and each carbon will have 2 hydrogen atoms to satisfy the valency of carbon which is 4 and cyclo indicates that it is a closed ring structure.
• Thus the molecular formula will be ${\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}$.
• The structure of cyclohexane will thus be:

• Cyclohexane contains $18$ covalent bonds and $6$ bonds between carbon-carbon atoms, and $12$ bonds between carbon and hydrogen atoms.