methylcyclobutane

Methylcyclobutane is an organic compound with the chemical formula C5H10. It is a saturated cyclic hydrocarbon, specifically a cycloalkane, featuring a cyclobutane ring with a methyl group attached. It is a colorless liquid at room temperature and pressure.

The structure of methylcyclobutane consists of a four-membered carbon ring where each carbon atom is bonded to two hydrogen atoms, except for one carbon atom which is bonded to one hydrogen atom and a methyl group (-CH3). This arrangement results in a total of five carbon atoms and ten hydrogen atoms.

Methylcyclobutane is typically produced through various chemical synthesis routes, often involving the cyclization of branched alkanes or dehydrohalogenation reactions. It is considered a relatively stable compound due to the single bonds between carbon atoms. Its physical properties, such as boiling point and density, are characteristic of small cycloalkanes with alkyl substituents.

This compound finds limited direct industrial applications. However, it can serve as a model compound in studies of hydrocarbon combustion and as a component in complex hydrocarbon mixtures. Its isomers, such as pentane and other C5H10 compounds, exhibit different physical and chemical properties due to variations in carbon chain branching or ring structure.