Organic Chemistry

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

Ridiculous Complexity

Palytoxin – made by species
of some species of seaweed
and coral

Synthesized by Kishi, et. al.
at Harvard in 1994

Organic Chemistry in Everyday Life

•Smells & tastes: fruits, fish, mint
•Medications: aspirin, Tylenol, decongestants, sedatives, insulin
•Addictive substances: caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, narcotics
•Hormones/Neurotransmitters: adrenaline, dopamine,
serotonin
•Food: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins
•Genetics: DNA, RNA
•Consumer products: plastics, nylon, rayon, polyester

Why is carbon so special?

� Has 4 valence electrons, so it can bond 4

times to achieve a stable octet

What is an organic compound
and what are its properties ?

� Organic chemistry is the study of carbon and its

compounds

� found in fossil fuels, plants, animals

� Examples include: gasoline, oil, sugars

� Hydrocarbon – contains only the elements H & C

� Therefore, hydrocarbons are organic, but not all

organic compounds are hydrocarbons

1.
Nonelectrolytes (do not conduct
electricity)

2.
React slowly because they are covalent
(nonmetal + nonmetal)

3.
Usually low melting point and boiling point

4.
Insoluble and immiscible in water

PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS

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