The compound is acetone ( CH₃-CO-CH₃)
Explanation:
1) Acetone is represented as CH₃-CO-CH₃.
2) This is a molecule formed by covalent bonds.
3) When it dissolves, compounds with covalent bonds remain as individual molecules, indicating that the primary species in the solution are the molecules themselves, which are surrounded (solvated) by water molecules.
In contrast, ionic compounds ionize. For example, when NaCl dissolves in water, it completely breaks down into ions, hence the predominant species are the ions Na⁺ and Cl⁻, rather than the NaCl formula.
This leads to the conclusion that: when acetone dissolves in water, the primary components are the acetone molecules (there is no need to mention that water molecules are in the solution, as that isn't the question's focus).