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Chemistry Articles

Difference Between Phenol, Phenyl, Benzene, Benzyl, and Aryl

It is easy to identify the simplest aromatic hydrocarbon Benzene that is made of only two atoms- Carbon and hydrogen. Benzene is a planar, cyclic ring molecule with six sides. It has an alternating double bond that contributes to its extra stability by endowing it with resonance, a phenomenon of electron delocalization.  The molecular formula of Benzene is C6H6 and the structure is-

What are haloalkanes and haloarenes? How can they be classified?

A Haloalkane is the Halogen derivative of an alkane obtained by replacing of one or more hydrogen atoms.

For example, when one Hydrogen of an alkane, Methane, is replaced with a Halogen, for instance, Chlorine, the haloalkane obtained is chloromethane.

                                                               Alkane                 Haloalkane

What is Degree/Level of Unsaturation (LU) or Double Bond Equivalent (DBE)? How to find and interpret DBE values?

Pre-requisite Reading: Identifying single bond, double bond, triple bond, saturation, and unsaturation. 

The DBE calculation uses the general molecular formula to find the presence of unsaturation in a compound. The unsaturation is calculated in levels or degrees. The lowest degree of unsaturation (DOU) indicates minimum unsaturation; there is the least loss of hydrogens to form pie bonds or cyclic rings like in cycloalkanes.