C15H30O4

C15H30O4 is a molecular formula for a class of organic compounds that contain 15 carbon atoms, 30 hydrogen atoms, and 4 oxygen atoms. As a formula, it does not specify a unique structure; many structural isomers can share this composition, and the exact arrangement of atoms must be determined by spectroscopic methods such as NMR or mass spectrometry.

The formula has a calculated molecular weight of approximately 274.40 g/mol. The degree of unsaturation, determined from the formula, is 1. This implies the molecule contains a single degree of unsaturation, such as one carbonyl group or a double bond, and no rings or additional multiple bonds beyond that. Given the four oxygens, the most common way to realize this unsaturation is a carbonyl-containing functional group (for example a carboxyl or ester) with the remaining oxygens arranged as ether or hydroxyl groups on the hydrocarbon framework.

Possible structural classes for this formula include monoester or carboxylic-acid derivatives that also bear additional oxygen-containing substituents, such as hydroxyl or alkoxy groups. In practical terms, C15H30O4 could represent a saturated aliphatic chain with one carbonyl-containing moiety and two or three additional oxygen functionalities distributed along the carbon backbone. The exact connectivity, stereochemistry (if any), and isomer count depend on the specific synthetic route or natural source.

Because multiple isomers fit this formula, precise identification requires analytical data. The formula is commonly used in elemental analysis and mass spectrometry to constrain candidate structures during compound identification.