CH3CH2COCH3 is the chemical formula of which compound?

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Multiple Choice

CH3CH2COCH3 is the chemical formula of which compound?

This molecule is a four-carbon chain with a carbonyl group in the middle, bonded to carbon groups on both sides. That arrangement identifies a ketone, because the carbonyl carbon is attached to carbon on both sides rather than to hydrogen. CH3-CH2-CO-CH3 has the carbonyl between an ethyl group and a methyl group, which corresponds to butan-2-one (2-butanone). If it were butanal, the carbonyl would be at the end and linked to a hydrogen; if it were butan-1-ol, you’d see an hydroxyl group instead of a carbonyl; and butane would have no oxygen at all. So the structure matches butan-2-one.

This molecule is a four-carbon chain with a carbonyl group in the middle, bonded to carbon groups on both sides. That arrangement identifies a ketone, because the carbonyl carbon is attached to carbon on both sides rather than to hydrogen. CH3-CH2-CO-CH3 has the carbonyl between an ethyl group and a methyl group, which corresponds to butan-2-one (2-butanone). If it were butanal, the carbonyl would be at the end and linked to a hydrogen; if it were butan-1-ol, you’d see an hydroxyl group instead of a carbonyl; and butane would have no oxygen at all. So the structure matches butan-2-one.

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