how to show a double bond in an equation?

[swanmaid]

O
CH₃CH₂C - Cl + 2NH₃ > ?

[expert]

Please write carefully what CH₃CH₂C - Cl is

CH₃CH₂Cl? CH₃CH=CH-Cl ? Else?

[swanmaid]

expert,

You missed the question & the formula. The question is how to show/or illustrate a double bond in the posting. Sorry if this was not made clear.

My formula - O
CH₃CH₂C - Cl + 2NH₃ > ?

How do I show the double bond between the 1st C and the O?


What you wrote - CH₃CH₂Cl? CH₃CH=CH-Cl ?

The formulas are very different.

[expert]

To draw the structures I recommend downloading software. There are free programs, and most higher level programs are available for free trial and discounts for students.
Check these links:
http://scistore.cambridgesoft.com/Scist ... rial=Trial
http://www.chemdoodle.com/free-trial/
http://super-chemistry.narod.ru/Structures.html

For simple situations like in your case there is no need putting oxygen atom above the carbon. You can write it like
CH₃-C(O)-CH₃ (acetone) or
CH₃-CH₂-CH=O or O=CH-C₂H₅ (both correct for propionaldehyde)

In your case, if you mean the double bond between O and C,

O
!!
CH₃CH₂C - Cl

then the structure doesn't make sense anyway. Carbon must have four bonds, not six like in your case. That’s why I asked you to provide the correct structure. Maybe you mean this?

...............O
...............!!
CH₃CH₂C - Cl

Better write it this way:

CH₃-CH₂-C(O)-Cl or simply CH₃CH₂C(O)Cl

In that case the reaction is

CH₃CH₂C(O)Cl + 2 NH₃ = CH₃CH₂C(O)NH₂ + NH₄Cl

[expert]

I also recommend for more complex drawings to use these tools provided on this website:
http://www.webqc.org/chemicaltools.php (select one of visualization tools)
For example, I drew your reaction here using Marvin Sketch tool