Degree of Unsaturation Calculator

Determining the degree of unsaturation becomes convenient and efficient with our degree of unsaturation calculator, which finds the unsaturation index of certain molecules.

If you have a knack for chemistry, then you might have wondered what is the index of hydrogen deficiency, or maybe you are interested in the formula of the degree of unsaturation. Whatever the reason for visiting our tool, you can learn all of it in the following article!

The degree of unsaturation calculator is a convenient tool that allows you to use the molecular formula of an organic molecule to find the number of rings and pi bonds found in the compound. This is useful when you don't know the arrangement of the molecule and want to try and find it.

The degree of unsaturation calculator requires you to input the molecular formula (not molecular weight), i.e., the number of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and halogen atoms present in the compound. We do have a molecular weight calculator that might help you understand the difference between the two.

Remember, oxygen is a divalent atom so, it does not contribute to the degree of unsaturation. In fact, *any atom that is divalent has no impact on a hydrocarbon's or any other organic compound's degree of unsaturation.

The degree of unsaturation is significant in determining molecular structure as it helps to determine the number of pi bonds and rings present in an organic molecule.

The degree of unsaturation has other names too. These DoU definitions are:

• Index of hydrogen deficiency (IHD);
• Unsaturation index; and
• Double bond equivalents.

The degree of unsaturation is often not enough to determine the structure of an unknown molecule alone. Other methods, such as nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared radiation, provide much more exact information, as degree of unsaturation doesn't tell you if a molecule has two double bonds or one triple bond (e.g., C₄H₆).

Another degree of unsaturation meaning is double bond equivalent. It determines the total number of rings or pi bonds formed in an organic compound. In this case, saturation means that no more hydrogens can be added to the molecule by breaking double bonds, triple bonds, or rings. This is similar to the other meanings of saturation, in particular the point in a solution where the solvent is no longer able to dissolve more solute.

Take a look at our solution dilution calculator to understand how to dilute a stock solution of known concentration to obtain an arbitrary volume of a diluted solution.

Determining the degree of unsaturation is simple and DoU formula is straightforward:

DoU = 1/2 × (2 + 2 × C - H + N - X)

where:

• DoU - Degree of unsaturation;

• C - Number of carbon atoms;

• H - Number of hydrogen atoms;

• N - Number of nitrogen atoms; and

• X - Number of halogen atoms.

To calculate the degree of unsaturation of an organic molecule, you need to know the number of each atom that makes up the molecule. The resultant degree of unsaturation allows you to interpret the number of rings or pi bonds present in your structure.

One of the most important aspects of organic chemistry is molecular structure. In some cases, you wish to find the number of double bonds, triple bonds, and rings without drawing the entire structure (some molecules can contain hundreds of atoms!). To find the degrees of unsaturation:

1. Count the number of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and halogen atoms present in the compound.
2. Double the number of carbons and from this number subtract the number of hydrogens and halogens.
3. Add 2 plus the number of nitrogens to the resultant.
4. Divide the new number by two.

After using the DoU formula, you'll need to interpret the result. For instance, if your degree of unsaturation value is two, it means that the molecule contains either two double bonds, a triple bond, two rings, or a combination of the above.

Check out our bond order calculator to understand the molecular orbital theory and stability of ions.