Nitromethane. Computer model of a molecule of nitromethane. This organic chemical is the simplest combination of a hydrocarbon and the nitrate chemical group. It is used as a chemical solvent and in the synthesis of a wide range of products such as drugs, pesticides, fuels and explosives. The molecule's chemical formula is C.H3.N.O2. The atoms are shown as colour-coded spheres in this ball-and-stick model: carbon (light blue), hydrogen (gold), nitrogen (dark blue) and oxygen (red).