Organic Chemistry: Carbon Compounds

Organic Chemistry Overview

• Organic Chemistry studies compounds with carbon-carbon (C-C) and carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds.
• All organic compounds must have C-H bonds for classification.

Key Elements in Organic Molecules

• Most significant elements in organic compounds: Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O), Phosphorus (P), Sulfur (S), and Halogens.
• Carbon possesses four valence electrons, allowing diverse bonding possibilities.

Bonding Types in Carbon Compounds

• Carbon can form:
  • Single bonds (e.g., Ethane)
  • Double bonds (e.g., Ethene)
  • Triple bonds (e.g., Ethyne)
• Carbon's versatility leads to the formation of various structures, including chains and rings.

Importance of Carbon and Related Elements

• Carbon, along with Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Hydrogen, constitutes 96% of the molecules in living organisms.
• Hydrogen and carbon combinations are known as hydrocarbons.

Properties of Hydrocarbons

• Hydrocarbons are inherently hydrophobic, meaning they repel water.
• Examples of hydrocarbons include:
  • Gasoline (8-carbon hydrocarbon)
  • Butter (contains 3 hydrocarbon fatty acids)
  • Cholesterol (composed of 4 rings of hydrocarbons)

Electronegativity and Polarity

• Electronegativity measures an atom's attraction for electrons in a bond. Example: In C=O, carbon is δ+ and oxygen is δ-.
• Molecules exhibit polarity based on bond types and geometric shape:
  • Symmetrical molecules: Non-polar
  • Asymmetrical molecules: Polar
  • Example: O=C=O has a symmetrical structure and is non-polar.

Classes of Hydrocarbons

• There are three classes of hydrocarbons, categorized by the degree of saturation based on carbon bonding (single, double, triple).

Structural Representation Pros and Cons

• Pros:
  • Quick and easy drawing with practice.
  • Accurately demonstrates bond angles and multiple bonds.
  • Facilitates identification of functional groups.
• Cons:
  • Potential to overlook placement of hydrogen (H) and carbon (C) atoms.
  • Can complicate formula writing.