Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds. Carbon can form four covalent bonds, allowing it to bond to other carbon atoms and form molecules with complex structures. The versatility of carbon compounds means organic chemistry is relevant to many areas of everyday life, including medicines, fuels, plastics, and food. Key concepts include hydrocarbons, functional groups, polymers, and distinguishing saturated and unsaturated compounds. Mastering these fundamentals is important for understanding organic chemistry.
2. What is Organic Chemistry?
• Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds.
– Organic compounds have carbon AND hydrogen
– Carbon Dioxide is NOT organic
• The versatility and stability of carbon’s molecular
structures provides the enormous range of
properties of its compounds.
• Carbon can bond to other carbons
– Reason for the degree of structural complexity
3. Ridiculous Complexity
Palytoxin – made by species
of some species of seaweed
and coral
Synthesized by Kishi, et. al.
at Harvard in 1994
4. Organic Chemistry
• Carbon
– Has 4 valence electrons
– Makes 4 covalent bonds to fill its octet
• Can include double and triple bonds
– Hydrocarbon
• Compound with only carbon and hydrogen
6. Organic Materials
• Addition to previous notes
– Before, it was stated that covalent compounds
were mostly liquid/gas at room temp
– This is primarily for binary compounds (2
elements)
– More complicated structures can be solid at room
temp
7. General Formulas
• Alkanes
– Contains only single bonds
– Cx H2x+2
• Alkenes
– Contains at least one double bond
• Alkynes
– Contains at least one triple bond
• Alkenes and Alkynes are more reactive than
alkanes
8. Saturation
• Saturated: a carbon chain contains as many
hydrogens as possible.
• Saturated compounds contain only single C-H
bonds. Alkanes are saturated.
• Unsaturated means that a carbon chain
contains at least one multiple (double or
triple) bond.
– Alkene = double bond
– Alkyne = triple bond
10. Structure and Physical Properties
• Larger molar mass = higher boiling point
– Bigger compound – higher boiling point
Methane
16 g/mol
-161.5oC
Ethane
30 g/mol
-88.6oC
Propane
44 g/mol
-42.1oC
Butane
58 g/mol
-0.5oC
11. Petrochemicals
• Simple, small hydrocarbons are
petrochemicals
– Chemicals isolated from crude oil (petroleum)
• Octane – used in gasoline
• Propane – used in grills, heaters, etc.
• Butane – lighter fluid
