Question

Question: What is the molecular formula of quinine, the antimalarial medication whose skeletal structure appears in Figure 2 of the Prologue?

Short answer

Answer

The molecular formula of quinine is${\mathrm{C}}_{20}{\mathrm{H}}_{24}{\mathrm{N}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_2$.

Step-by-step solution

Step-by-Step Solution Step 1: Molecular Formula

The formula that represents the composition of a molecule, which indicates the number of individual atoms present in the molecule, is termed a molecular formula.

The complete structure of quinine

Structure of quinine

Determine the molecular formula of quinine.

From the complete structure, the count of the number of atoms of each element present is rectified.

• The number of carbon atoms in the quinine molecule is 20.
• The number of hydrogen atoms in the quinine molecule is 24.
• The number of nitrogen atoms in the quinine molecule is 2.
• The number of oxygen atoms in the quinine molecule is 2.

Therefore, the molecular formula of quinine is${\mathrm{C}}_{20}{\mathrm{H}}_{24}{\mathrm{N}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_2$.