Bonds in chemical formula

Bonds in chemical formula

he 3-dimensionality of atoms and molecules makes it difficult to use a single technique for indicating orbitals and bonds. In molecular formulae the chemical bonds (binding orbitals) between atoms are indicated by various different methods according to the type of discussion. Sometimes, they are completely neglected. For example, in organic chemistry chemists are sometimes concerned only with the functional groups of the molecule. Thus, the molecular formula of ethanol (a compound in alcoholic beverages) may be written in a paper in conformational, 3-dimensional, full 2-dimensional (indicating every bond with no 3-dimensional directions), compressed 2-dimensional (CH₃–CH₂–OH), separating the functional group from another part of the molecule (C₂H₅OH), or by its atomic constituents (C₂H₆O), according to what is discussed. Sometimes, even the non-bonding valence shell electrons (with the 2-dimensional approximate directions) are marked, i.e. for elemental carbon _.^'C^'. Some chemists may also mark the respective orbitals, i.e. the hypothetical ethene⁻⁴ anion (_\^/C=C_/^{\ −4}) indicating the possibility of bond formation.