Saturated and Unsaturated Molecules

In the lab, saturation may be thought of as the point when a solution cannot dissolve anymore of a substance added to it. In terms of degrees of unsaturation, a molecule only containing single bonds with no rings is considered saturated.

CH3CH2CH3

1-methyoxypentane

Unlike saturated molecules, unsaturated molecules contain double bond(s), triple bond(s) and/or ring(s).

CH3CH=CHCH3

3-chloro-5-octyne