Enter the number of hydrogens and nitrogens in a molecule to determine the unsaturation number. This calculator helps in identifying the degree of unsaturation in organic compounds.
Unsaturation Number Formula
The following formula is used to calculate the unsaturation number.
U = (2C + 2 + N - H) / 2
Variables:
- U is the unsaturation number
- H is the number of hydrogens in the molecule
- N is the number of nitrogens in the molecule
- C is the number of carbons in the molecule (assumed to be known and constant for this calculation)
To calculate the unsaturation number, subtract the number of hydrogens and nitrogens from twice the number of carbons plus two, then divide by two.
What is an Unsaturation Number?
An unsaturation number indicates the total number of pi bonds and rings in a molecule. It is a useful concept in organic chemistry for understanding the structure of a compound. A higher unsaturation number suggests more double bonds, triple bonds, or rings present in the molecule.
How to Calculate Unsaturation Number?
The following steps outline how to calculate the Unsaturation Number.
- First, determine the number of hydrogens (H) in the molecule.
- Next, determine the number of nitrogens (N) in the molecule.
- Next, gather the formula from above = U = (2C + 2 + N – H) / 2.
- Finally, calculate the Unsaturation Number (U).
- After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.
Example Problem :
Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.
number of hydrogens (H) = 6
number of nitrogens (N) = 1
number of carbons (C) = 5 (assumed constant for this example)
