What is the systematic name for C3H4O?

To determine the correct systematic name for the molecular formula C3H4O, we analyze its composition and the functional groups present. The molecular formula indicates three carbons, four hydrogens, and one oxygen atom.

The structure that fits this formula best is that of propanal, which is an aldehyde. Aldehydes have the characteristic functional group –CHO, where the carbonyl carbon is at the end of the carbon chain. In the case of propanal, this structure is consistent with the composition of three carbon atoms, one oxygen atom double-bonded to a carbon, and the corresponding hydrogen atoms.

Thus, propanal is the correct systematic name as it reflects both the skeletal structure and the presence of the aldehyde functional group.

The other options refer to different functional groups and arrangements that do not match the formula C3H4O. Propan-2-one, for example, is a ketone and has a different structural arrangement with a carbonyl group that does not conform to the molecular formula in question. Similarly, propan-1-ol and propan-2-ol are alcohols featuring hydroxyl functional groups, which also do not align with the aldehyde classification required for C3H