Question

Give the general formula for any cyclic alkene, that is, a cyclic hydrocarbon with one double bond.

Short answer

The general formula for any cyclic alkene, that is, a cyclic hydrocarbon with one double bond, is $C_n{H}_{(2n-2)}$.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the Basic Formula for Alkenes

The general formula for alkenes is CnH2n, where 'n' is the number of carbon atoms. This means that there are twice as many hydrogen atoms as there are carbon atoms.

Consider the Effect of Cyclic Structure

In a cyclic hydrocarbon, the carbon atoms form a closed ring. Since each carbon atom can form four bonds, this means that we'll lose two hydrogen atoms in a cyclic hydrocarbon to form the ring structure.

Calculate the General Formula for Cyclic Alkene

We've established that a cyclic hydrocarbon loses two hydrogen atoms compared to its non-cyclic counterpart. Therefore, for a cyclic alkene, the general formula will be: CnH(2n-2)

Verify the Formula with Examples

To make sure the formula is correct, we can test it with known cyclic alkenes: 1. Cyclopropene (n=3): C3H(2*3-2) = C3H4 2. Cyclobutene (n=4): C4H(2*4-2) = C4H6 3. Cyclopentene (n=5): C5H(2*5-2) = C5H8 The general formula seems to work for known cyclic alkenes.