Is the molecular formula for sugar correct?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
7 replies · 2K views
akerkarprashant
Messages
74
Reaction score
9
TL;DR
Molecular formula correction.
Is the following molecular formula for Sugar can be written as
H22C12O11 or
O11C12H22 or
O11H22C12 or
C12O11H22 or
H22O11C12
instead of C12H22O11?

Logically they can be written as mentioned above?

If Not, Why?

There can be many more examples similar to above.
 

Attachments

  • download (23).gif
    download (23).gif
    18 KB · Views: 260
Last edited:
Chemistry news on Phys.org
Thanks.

Another example could be for Sulphuric acid having molecular formula as H2SO4.

This can be SH2O4,O4H2S,H2O4S, SO4H2,O4SH2.

Thanks & Regards,
Prashant S Akerkar
 
Two totally different cases.

The molecular formula for saccharose is C12H22O11 in that order -- by convention: Alphabetical. Doesn't tell you all you need to know to reconstruct the molecule. For that the IUPAC name (horrible ! See 3.1.1 here) is intended.

Sulfuric acid contains a functional group SO42- and -- as an inorganic acid -- its name by convention starts with the hydrogen ions. Hence H2SO4

##\ ##
 
  • Like
  • Informative
Likes   Reactions: DrClaude, vela, sysprog and 3 others
Thanks.

Mostly the convention for Molecular formulas will be alphabetical based ?

Is there a good site which sets the rules for molecular formula naming conventions?

Thanks & Regards,
Prashant S Akerkar
 
Not really. You could try Googling 'Hill system' or 'Richter system formulas'. Or even simply 'Chemical formula'

And my 'alphabetical' appears to be too simple-minded. The Hill system has C, H and then alphabetical, the RIchter system is still quite relevant (e.g. for Beilstein !). See e.g. here

##\ ##
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: sysprog and akerkarprashant
IUPAC colored books (never remember which one is which) are definitive source for conventions used. In some cases general convention says one thing, but common, well established names/formulas are allowed.

That's mostly for historical reasons, way too many names and conventions are well established, universally understood, but unsystematic.
 
  • Like
  • Informative
Likes   Reactions: sysprog, pinball1970, jim mcnamara and 3 others
Here is one uncalled for, unprofessional opinion.

We usually put cations to the left and anions to the right (NaCl, K2S, etc.). This goes for covalent compounds, too, where we use oxidation numbers (SO2, H2S, etc). Exception ammonia, probably for historical reasons.