The molecular formula C3H8O represents organic compounds that contain 3 carbon atoms, 8 hydrogen atoms, and 1 oxygen atom. Let's elucidate the possible isomers, which are molecules with the same molecular formula but different structural arrangements.
1. Alcohols: One class of compounds that can form isomers for this formula are alcohols, which include a functional group -OH.
a. Propan-1-ol: This is a straight-chain alcohol where the -OH group is on the first carbon. The structure is as follows:
CH3-CH2-CH2-OH
b. Propan-2-ol: This is another alcohol where the -OH group is on the second carbon, giving it a different structure and properties:
CH3-CH(OH)-CH3
2. Ethers: This is another class of possible isomers, where the oxygen atom is bonded to two alkyl groups.
c. Methoxyethane: Also known as ethyl methyl ether, it has a structure where the oxygen is in a bridge position between a methyl group and an ethyl group:
CH3-O-CH2-CH3
These are the possible structural isomers for this molecular formula. Therefore, the compound C3H8O has three isomers overall:
- Propan-1-ol
- Propan-2-ol
- Methoxyethane
Thus, the answer is three distinct isomers.