INTRODUCTION: organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is the chemistry of compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen. The element carbon has a special role in chemistry because it bonds with other carbon atoms to give a vast array of molecules. The varity of molecules is so great that we find organic compounds in many common products we use, such as gasoline, medicines, shampoos, plastic bottles, and perfumes. The food we eat is composed of different organic compounds that supply us with fuel for energy and the carbon attoms needed to build and repair the cells of our bodies. Although many organic compounds occur in nature, chemists have synthesized even more. The cotton, wool, or silk in your clothes contains naturally occurring organic compounds, whereas materials such as polyester, times it is convenient to synthesized a molecule in the lab even though that molecule is also found in nature. For example, vitamin C synthesized in a laboratory has the same structure as the vitamin C in oranges or lemons. Learning about the structures and reactions of organic molecules will provide you with a foundation for understanding the more complex molecules of biochemistry.
Characteristics of carbon atom
Carbon atoms have six electrons. It can accept four valence electrons. It can form covalent bonds of different lengths. It plays a very important role in the biology of living creatures. Group 14 or 4Aof the periodic table.
Electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p2
Tetravalency: forms 4 covalent bonds.
Covalency: the 4 hybrid orbitals are equal in energy intensity and therefore the 4 carbon bonds are equal and the same class.
Catenation: ability to form very long chains of interconnecting C-C bonds
Carbon-carbon bonds are strong, and stable. This property allows carbon to form an almost infinite number of compounds. Carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms or atoms of other elements like nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur,