List of common molecules

A practical list of everyday, atmospheric, laboratory, industrial, and biological molecules with reusable identifiers.

CSVJSON
NameFormulaMW (g/mol)CategorySMILESPubChem CID
WaterH2O18.02Everyday moleculeO962
Carbon dioxideCO244.01Atmospheric moleculeO=C=O280
OxygenO232.00Atmospheric moleculeO=O977
Sodium chlorideNaCl58.44Everyday ionic compound[Na+].[Cl-]5234
EthanolC2H6O46.07Laboratory and consumer moleculeCCO702
D-GlucoseC6H12O6180.16Biological moleculeC([C@@H]1[C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](C(O1)O)O)O)O)O5793
AmmoniaNH317.03Industrial and laboratory moleculeN222
Hydrogen peroxideH2O234.01Consumer and laboratory moleculeOO784
Acetic acidC2H4O260.05Everyday organic acidCC(=O)O176
Calcium carbonateCaCO3100.09Mineral and biological material[Ca+2].[O-]C([O-])=O10112
MethaneCH416.04Fuel and atmospheric moleculeC297
NitrogenN228.01Atmospheric moleculeN#N947
OzoneO348.00Atmospheric molecule[O-][O+]=O24823
Sodium bicarbonateNaHCO384.01Everyday ionic compoundC(=O)(O)[O-].[Na+]516892
SucroseC12H22O11342.30Food and biological moleculeC([C@@H]1[C@H]([C@@H]([C@H]([C@H](O1)O[C@]2([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O2)CO)O)O)CO)O)O)O)O5988
UreaCH4N2O60.06Biological and agricultural moleculeC(=O)(N)N1176
Carbon monoxideCO28.01Atmospheric and combustion molecule[C-]#[O+]281
Sulfur dioxideSO264.06Industrial and atmospheric moleculeO=S=O1119
HydrogenH22.02Fuel and atmospheric molecule[HH]783
HeliumHe4.00Noble gas[He]23987
ArgonAr39.95Noble gas[Ar]23968
ChlorineCl270.90Industrial moleculeClCl24526
PropaneC3H844.10Fuel moleculeCCC6334
ButaneC4H1058.12Fuel moleculeCCCC7843
AcetoneC3H6O58.08Laboratory and consumer solventCC(=O)C180
MethanolCH4O32.04Laboratory and industrial solventCO887
BenzeneC6H678.11Industrial aromatic moleculeC1=CC=CC=C1241
TolueneC7H892.14Industrial aromatic solventCC1=CC=CC=C11140
PhenolC6H6O94.11Industrial aromatic moleculeC1=CC=C(C=C1)O996
FormaldehydeCH2O30.03Industrial and biological moleculeC=O712
Hydrogen chlorideHCl36.46Laboratory acid gasCl313
Sulfuric acidH2SO498.07Industrial acidOS(=O)(=O)O1118
Nitric acidHNO363.01Laboratory and industrial acid[N+](=O)(O)[O-]944
Phosphoric acidH3PO497.99Food and laboratory acidOP(=O)(O)O1004
Calcium hydroxideCa(OH)274.09Common base[OH-].[OH-].[Ca+2]6093208
Sodium hydroxideNaOH40.00Common base[OH-].[Na+]14798
Potassium chlorideKCl74.55Salt and electrolyte[Cl-].[K+]4873
Magnesium sulfateMgSO4120.36Salt and laboratory compound[O-]S(=O)(=O)[O-].[Mg+2]24083
Citric acidC6H8O7192.12Food and biological acidC(C(=O)O)C(CC(=O)O)(C(=O)O)O311
CaffeineC8H10N4O2194.19Food and drug moleculeCN1C=NC2=C1C(=O)N(C(=O)N2C)C2519
NeonNe20.18Common molecule[Ne]23935
Nitrous OxideN2O44.01Common molecule[N-]=[N+]=O948
IsopropanolC3H8O60.10Common moleculeCC(C)O3776
Lactic AcidC3H6O390.08Common moleculeCC(C(=O)O)O612
FructoseC6H12O6180.16Common moleculeC1[C@H]([C@H]([C@@H](C(O1)(CO)O)O)O)O2723872
NicotineC10H14N2162.24Common moleculeCN1CCC[C@H]1C2=CN=CC=C289594
GlycerolC3H8O392.09Common moleculeC(C(CO)O)O753
Ethylene GlycolC2H6O262.07Common moleculeC(CO)O174
AcetaldehydeC2H4O44.05Common moleculeCC=O177
Ethyl AcetateC4H8O288.11Common moleculeCCOC(=O)C8857
Diethyl EtherC4H10O74.12Common moleculeCCOCC3283
ChloroformCHCl3119.37Common moleculeC(Cl)(Cl)Cl6212
DichloromethaneCH2Cl284.93Common moleculeC(Cl)Cl6344
AcetonitrileC2H3N41.05Common moleculeCC#N6342
Dimethyl SulfoxideC2H6OS78.13Common moleculeCS(=O)C679
GlycineC2H5NO275.07Common moleculeC(C(=O)O)N750
AlanineC3H7NO289.09Common moleculeC[C@@H](C(=O)O)N5950
LysineC6H14N2O2146.19Common moleculeC(CCN)C[C@@H](C(=O)O)N5962
CholesterolC27H46O386.66Common moleculeC[C@H](CCCC(C)C)[C@H]1CC[C@@H]2[C@@]1(CC[C@H]3[C@H]2CC=C4[C@@]3(CC[C@@H](C4)O)C)C5997
Palmitic AcidC16H32O2256.43Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)O985
Oleic AcidC18H34O2282.47Common moleculeCCCCCCCC/C=C\CCCCCCCC(=O)O445639
Stearic AcidC18H36O2284.48Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC(=O)O5281
Ascorbic AcidC6H8O6176.12Common moleculeC([C@@H]([C@@H]1C(=C(C(=O)O1)O)O)O)O54670067
RiboflavinC17H20N4O6376.37Common moleculeCC1=CC2=C(C=C1C)N(C3=NC(=O)NC(=O)C3=N2)C[C@@H]([C@@H]([C@@H](CO)O)O)O493570
DopamineC8H11NO2153.18Common moleculeC1=CC(=C(C=C1CCN)O)O681
SerotoninC10H12N2O176.22Common moleculeC1=CC2=C(C=C1O)C(=CN2)CCN5202
MelatoninC13H16N2O2232.28Common moleculeCC(=O)NCCC1=CNC2=C1C=C(C=C2)OC896
AspirinC9H8O4180.16Common moleculeCC(=O)OC1=CC=CC=C1C(=O)O2244
AcetaminophenC8H9NO2151.17Common moleculeCC(=O)NC1=CC=C(C=C1)O1983
IbuprofenC13H18O2206.29Common moleculeCC(C)CC1=CC=C(C=C1)C(C)C(=O)O3672
NaproxenC14H14O3230.26Common moleculeC[C@@H](C1=CC2=C(C=C1)C=C(C=C2)OC)C(=O)O156391
EthaneC2H630.07Common moleculeCC6324
PentaneC5H1272.15Common moleculeCCCCC8003
HexaneC6H1486.18Common moleculeCCCCCC8058
HeptaneC7H16100.21Common moleculeCCCCCCC8900
OctaneC8H18114.23Common moleculeCCCCCCCC356
NonaneC9H20128.26Common moleculeCCCCCCCCC8141
DecaneC10H22142.29Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCC15600
UndecaneC11H24156.31Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCC14257
DodecaneC12H26170.34Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCC8182
TridecaneC13H28184.37Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCC12388
TetradecaneC14H30198.39Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCC12389
PentadecaneC15H32212.42Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC12391
HexadecaneC16H34226.45Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC11006
HeptadecaneC17H36240.47Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC12398
OctadecaneC18H38254.50Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC11635
NonadecaneC19H40268.53Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC12401
EicosaneC20H42282.56Common moleculeCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC8222
EtheneC2H428.05Common moleculeC=C6325
PropeneC3H642.08Common moleculeCC=C8252
1-ButeneC4H856.11Common moleculeCCC=C7844
1-PenteneC5H1070.13Common moleculeCCCC=C8004
1-HexeneC6H1284.16Common moleculeCCCCC=C11597
1-HepteneC7H1498.19Common moleculeCCCCCC=C11610
1-OcteneC8H16112.22Common moleculeCCCCCCC=C8125
1-NoneneC9H18126.24Common moleculeCCCCCCCC=C31285
1-DeceneC10H20140.27Common moleculeCCCCCCCCC=C13381
CyclohexeneC6H1082.15Common moleculeC1CCC=CC18079
IsobutyleneC4H856.11Common moleculeCC(=C)C8255
AcetyleneC2H226.04Common moleculeC#C6326
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Methodology

Commonness is defined by educational and practical use rather than database frequency. Rows are grouped by everyday, atmospheric, biological, laboratory, and industrial contexts.

Sources

PubChem

Canonical compound identifiers, names, formulas, structures, SMILES, and downloadable compound records.

ChEBI

Chemical ontology classes, biological roles, synonyms, formulas, SMILES, InChI, and ChEBI identifiers.

NIST Chemistry WebBook

Reference physical chemistry data and diatomic constants for selected species.

OpenStax Chemistry

Chemistry definitions used for educational polarity, bonding, organic chemistry, and molecule-class explanations.

Related datasets

Small-molecule drugsBiological moleculesOrganic compoundsPolar and nonpolar molecules