Chapter 20: Organic Chemistry
20.1: Organic Compounds
- Organic Compounds
- Any covalently bonded carbon compound, except for carbonates, carbon oxides, and carbides.
- Organic Chemistry
- The branch of chemistry focused on organic compounds.
The Unique Carbon Atom
- Carbon has four valence electrons.
- Forms strong chemical bonds with other carbon atoms.
- Can form stable, nonpolar bonds with hydrogen.
Structural Formulas and Models
- Structural Formula
- Shows the types of atoms, exact composition, and arrangement of bonds in a molecule.
- Condensed Structural Formula
- An abbreviated structural formula that omits some components and their bonds.
- Skeletal Formula
- Omitting carbon and hydrogen atoms, it focuses on bonds and functional groups.
Classification
- Aromatic Compounds
- Organic compounds with stable ring structures and delocalized electrons.
- Aliphatic Compounds
- Organic compounds that are branched, unbranched, or cyclic without delocalized electrons.
Questions for Students
- What is an organic compound? Provide examples.
- Why is carbon found in millions of compounds?
- What are structural formulas, and why are they important in organic chemistry?
- Define aromatic and aliphatic compounds, giving examples of each.