Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Chemical Formula of Dimethyl Phthalate

Dimethyl phthalate is the most basic form of phthalates. Its chemical formula is C6H4(COOCH3)2.
The following is a key for which element each letter stands for:

  • C - Carbon
  • H - Hydrogen
  • O - Oxygen

The numbers to the bottom-right of some of the letters are called subscripts. Subscripts represent how many of each element are in a bond in the molecule. If an element has no subscript, then there is only one of it in the bond. Think of it as a "silent one."