CH2CHCH2CH2CH3

CH2CHCH2CH2CH3 is a condensed structural formula that denotes a hydrocarbon containing five carbon atoms. In this form, the letters indicate carbon atoms and the attached hydrogens, but the exact connectivity and bond types are not fully specified. As a result, the notation can be ambiguous without additional information about which carbons are connected and whether any branching or multiple bonds are present.

If the five carbons form a single unbranched chain with only single bonds, the molecule would belong to the family of C5H12 alkanes. The three constitutional isomers for this formula are n-pentane (the linear form), isopentane or 2-methylbutane, and neopentane or 2,2-dimethylpropane. Each isomer has the same molecular formula but different connectivity, leading to distinct physical properties and boiling points.

In practice, more explicit representations are used to avoid ambiguity, such as line drawings or SMILES or InChI strings. For example, the linear form corresponding to n-pentane is often written as CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3 in a condensed sense, while the branched isomers are represented by their respective branching patterns (e.g., a methyl substituent on one of the middle carbons for 2-methylbutane, or a central quaternary carbon for neopentane).

Common uses of pentane isomers include solvent applications and fuel components. They are typically volatile and highly flammable, with low water solubility and nonpolar character.

See also: pentane, isopentane (2-methylbutane), neopentane (2,2-dimethylpropane).