September 2012

# Pet peeve: skeletal organic formulas

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Darrell H. Beach , Emeritus Master Instructor of Science, The Culver Academy, Culver IN 46511

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From the time that I had my first introduction to organic chemistry as a junior in high school (1951), I was required to show all four bonds for every carbon atom in every organic species that was being considered. During my fifty-six years of teaching at both the high school and university level, I required the same of my students. Then IUPAC introduced skeletal organic formulas as a viable representation of a specific organic substance. To me this is just being academically lazy. How do others feel about this accepted practice?

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