Organic Chemistry Basics

Organic Chemistry

• Definition: Study of carbon-containing compounds and their properties
• Characteristics:
  • Carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements
  • Complex molecules with multiple functional groups
  • Typically found in living organisms
• Functional groups:
  • Hydroxyl (-OH), carboxyl (-COOH), amino (-NH2), and others
  • Determine the chemical properties and reactions of molecules
• Types of organic compounds:
  • Alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons), alkenes (unsaturated hydrocarbons), and alkynes (acetylenes)
  • Aromatic compounds (benzene ring)
  • Carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids (biological molecules)

Acids

• Definition: Substances that donate H+ ions (protons) in solution
• Characteristics:
  • Sour taste
  • pH < 7 (acidic)
  • Turn litmus paper red
• Types of acids:
  • Strong acids: completely dissociate in water, e.g. hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
  • Weak acids: partially dissociate in water, e.g. acetic acid (CH3COOH), citric acid (C6H8O7)
• Acid strength:
  • Measured by pH or pKa (negative logarithm of acid dissociation constant)
  • Stronger acids have lower pH and pKa values

Bases

• Definition: Substances that accept H+ ions (protons) in solution
• Characteristics:
  • Bitter taste
  • pH > 7 (basic)
  • Turn litmus paper blue
• Types of bases:
  • Strong bases: completely dissociate in water, e.g. sodium hydroxide (NaOH), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)
  • Weak bases: partially dissociate in water, e.g. ammonia (NH3), trimethylamine (N(CH3)3)
• Base strength:
  • Measured by pH or pKb (negative logarithm of base association constant)
  • Stronger bases have higher pH and pKb values

Salts

• Definition: Ionic compounds formed from acidic and basic species
• Formation:
  • Acid + base → salt + water
  • e.g. HCl + NaOH → NaCl (sodium chloride) + H2O
• Characteristics:
  • Neutral pH
  • Typically solid and crystalline
  • Can be formed through various reactions, e.g. neutralization, precipitation, and acid-base reactions

Organic Chemistry

• Study of carbon-containing compounds and their properties
• Characteristics of organic compounds:
  • Carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other elements
  • Complex molecules with multiple functional groups
  • Typically found in living organisms
• Functional groups:
  • Hydroxyl (-OH), carboxyl (-COOH), amino (-NH2), and others
  • Determine the chemical properties and reactions of molecules
• Types of organic compounds:
  • Alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons), alkenes (unsaturated hydrocarbons), and alkynes (acetylenes)
  • Aromatic compounds (benzene ring)
  • Carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids (biological molecules)

Acids

• Substances that donate H+ ions (protons) in solution
• Characteristics of acids:
  • Sour taste
  • pH < 7 (acidic)
  • Turn litmus paper red
• Types of acids:
  • Strong acids: completely dissociate in water, e.g. hydrochloric acid (HCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
  • Weak acids: partially dissociate in water, e.g. acetic acid (CH3COOH), citric acid (C6H8O7)
• Acid strength:
  • Measured by pH or pKa (negative logarithm of acid dissociation constant)
  • Stronger acids have lower pH and pKa values

Bases

• Substances that accept H+ ions (protons) in solution
• Characteristics of bases:
  • Bitter taste
  • pH > 7 (basic)
  • Turn litmus paper blue
• Types of bases:
  • Strong bases: completely dissociate in water, e.g. sodium hydroxide (NaOH), calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2)
  • Weak bases: partially dissociate in water, e.g. ammonia (NH3), trimethylamine (N(CH3)3)
• Base strength:
  • Measured by pH or pKb (negative logarithm of base association constant)
  • Stronger bases have higher pH and pKb values

Salts

• Ionic compounds formed from acidic and basic species
• Formation:
  • Acid + base → salt + water
  • e.g. HCl + NaOH → NaCl (sodium chloride) + H2O
• Characteristics of salts:
  • Neutral pH
  • Typically solid and crystalline
  • Can be formed through various reactions, e.g. neutralization, precipitation, and acid-base reactions