C5H12N

C5H12N is a molecular formula that represents a group of organic compounds rather than a single specific substance. It denotes that the molecule contains five carbon atoms and one nitrogen atom, with a total of twelve hydrogen atoms. Compounds sharing this formula are typically nitrogen-containing hydrocarbons known as amines, but the exact connectivity of atoms is not specified by the formula alone.

The same formula can correspond to multiple constitutional isomers. These isomers can vary in how the carbon skeleton is arranged (linear, branched, or cyclic) and in how the nitrogen atom is substituted (primary, secondary, or tertiary amine patterns). Because the formula does not encode connectivity, many distinct structures can satisfy C5H12N, including both acyclic amines and nitrogen-containing ring systems. The physical and chemical properties of these isomers—such as boiling point, odor, basicity, and reactivity—depend strongly on the specific structure.

In practice, compounds with the C5H12N formula may be used as intermediates in organic synthesis, solvents, or building blocks in pharmaceutical and agrochemical development. They are typically handled under standard precautions for amines, as many amines can be irritants or have varying degrees of toxicity and odor.

Because C5H12N does not specify a unique compound, precise identification requires structural information from spectroscopic data (such as NMR or mass spectrometry) or crystallography. See also amines and nitrogen-containing organic compounds for broader context.