The molecular formula for cyclohexylamine would reference the number of carbon (C), hydrogen
(H), and nitrogen
(N) atoms in the compound. Cyclohexylamine consists of a cyclohexane ring with an amine
(−NH2) group attached to one of the carbons. Therefore, to determine the correct molecular formula, we can simply add the typical number of hydrogens found in a cyclohexane ring to the number from the amine group.
Cyclohexane is a ring of six carbon atoms, and each carbon atom, being in a non-aromatic ring with single bonds, is bonded to two other carbons and two hydrogens, resulting in the molecular formula
C6H12 for cyclohexane.
However, when one hydrogen on the cyclohexane ring is substituted by an amine group, the nitrogen atom generally has two hydrogens. Thus, removing one hydrogen from cyclohexane and adding an amine group
(−NH2) changes the formula to:
C6H12⟶C6H11NH2 You can simplify the expression by combining the number of hydrogen atoms:
C6H11NH2=C6H11+NH2=C6H13NTherefore, the correct molecular formula for cyclohexylamine is Option
D :
C6H13N