C4H11NO2

C4H11NO2 is the molecular formula for several organic compounds that share four carbon atoms, one nitrogen atom, and two oxygen atoms. Because multiple structures can share the same formula, C4H11NO2 does not designate a single substance. The properties of any particular compound with this formula—such as melting point, boiling point, and reactivity—depend on how the atoms are arranged (the isomer).

The approximate molar mass of C4H11NO2 is 105.14 g/mol. The formula can correspond to a variety of structural motifs, including amino alcohols with additional oxygen-containing groups, amide or ester derivatives of a four-carbon backbone, and nitro-amine–type structures. Some isomers may be chiral, meaning they can exist as non-superimposable mirror images.

In practice, C4H11NO2 is used as a formula entry in chemical databases to catalog multiple distinct compounds. Identifying a specific compound requires additional structural information, such as an IUPAC name, SMILES or InChI string, or a CAS number. Without such details, the formula alone does not indicate which substance is being referred to.

Safety and handling are determined by the particular isomer involved; different isomers can have different toxicological and environmental profiles. The formula C4H11NO2 thus serves as a common starting point for discussions of isomerism and for organizing a family of four-carbon compounds that contain both nitrogen and oxygen.