Introduction to Organic Chemistry

• Chemistry is the study of matter, its properties, and how matter changes
• Matter has mass and takes up space
• Chemistry studies atoms and their interactions
• Chemistry aids the development of new medicines, materials, and technologies
• Sub-disciplines of chemistry include organic, inorganic, analytical, physical, and biochemistry

Organic Chemistry

• Organic chemistry focuses on compounds containing carbon
• Carbon uniquely forms stable covalent bonds with itself and other elements, enabling complex molecules
• Organic compounds comprise the majority of known chemicals
• Organic compounds examples: hydrocarbons, alcohols, ethers, amines, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amides
• Hydrocarbons contain only carbon and hydrogen
• Alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes are hydrocarbons differing in the number of bonds between carbon atoms
• Alkanes contain single bonds
• Alkenes contain double bonds
• Alkynes contain triple bonds
• Isomers share a molecular formula but differ in structural formulas and properties
• Functional groups are atoms within molecules responsible for characteristic chemical reactions
• Common functional groups: hydroxyl (-OH), carbonyl (C=O), carboxyl (-COOH), amino (-NH2)
• Reactions in organic chemistry: addition, elimination, substitution, rearrangement
• Addition reactions involve adding atoms or groups of atoms to a molecule
• Elimination reactions involve removing atoms or groups of atoms from a molecule
• Substitution reactions involve replacing one atom or group of atoms with another
• Rearrangement reactions involve changing the arrangement of atoms within a molecule
• Polymers are large molecules of repeating monomer subunits
• Polymerization is the process of monomers combining to form polymers
• Common polymers: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene
• Organic chemistry is essential for developing pharmaceuticals, plastics, polymers, and other materials

Inorganic Chemistry

• Inorganic chemistry is the study of compounds lacking carbon-hydrogen bonds
• Inorganic compounds: metals, salts, minerals, and coordination complexes
• Inorganic chemistry involves the synthesis, structure, and properties of inorganic materials
• Coordination complexes contain a central metal atom or ion surrounded by ligands
• Ligands are molecules/ions binding to the central metal atom through coordinate covalent bonds
• Coordination complexes exhibit properties like color, magnetism, and catalytic activity
• Coordination chemistry contributes to catalysis, materials science, and biological systems
• Transition metals often form coordination complexes due to multiple oxidation states
• Crystal field theory explains the electronic structure of transition metal complexes
• Crystal field splitting affects color and magnetic properties of coordination compounds
• Inorganic materials include ceramics, semiconductors, and nanomaterials
• Ceramics are typically metal oxides, nitrides, or carbides
• Semiconductors have electrical conductivity between conductors and insulators
• Nanomaterials are 1-100 nm in size
• Inorganic chemistry principles guide the design of materials with specific properties
• Inorganic compounds can act as catalysts in chemical reactions
• Heterogeneous catalysts exist in a different phase from the reactants
• Homogeneous catalysts exist in the same phase as the reactants