Inorganic Chemistry
The Inorganic Chemistry of Carbon
Inorganic Carbon
For more than 200 years, chemists have divided compounds into two categories. Those that were isolated from plants or animals were called organic, while those extracted from ores and minerals were inorganic. Organic chemistry is often defined as the chemistry of carbon. But this definition would include calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and graphite, which more closely resemble inorganic compounds. We will therefore define organic chemistry as the study of compounds, such as formic acid (HCO2H), methane (CH4), and vitamin C (C6H8O6), that contain both carbon and hydrogen.
The chemistry of carbon is dominated by three factors.
1. Carbon forms unusually strong C-C single bonds, C=C double bonds, and carbon-carbon triple bonds.
2. The electronegativity of carbon (EN = 2.55) is too small to allow carbon to form C4- ions with most metals and too large for carbon to form C4+ ions when it reacts with nonmetals. Carbon therefore forms covalent bonds with many other elements.
3. Carbon forms strong double and triple bonds with a number of other nonmetals, including N, O, P, and S.
Elemental Forms of Carbon: Graphite, Diamond, Coke, and Carbon Black
Carbon occurs as a variety of allotropes. There are two crystalline forms diamond and graphiteand a number of amorphous (noncrystalline) forms, such as charcoal, coke, and carbon black.
References to the characteristic hardness of diamond (from the Greek adamas, "invincible") date back at least 2600 years. It was not until 1797, however, that Smithson Tennant was able to show that diamonds consist solely of carbon. The properties of diamond are remarkable. It is among the least volatile substances known (MP = 3550oC, BP = 4827oC), it is also the hardest substance known, and it expands less on heating than any other material.
The properties of diamond are a logical consequence of its structure. Carbon, with four valence electrons, forms covalent bonds to four neighboring
Inorganic Carbon
For more than 200 years, chemists have divided compounds into two categories. Those that were isolated from plants or animals were called organic, while those extracted from ores and minerals were inorganic. Organic chemistry is often defined as the chemistry of carbon. But this definition would include calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and graphite, which more closely resemble inorganic compounds. We will therefore define organic chemistry as the study of compounds, such as formic acid (HCO2H), methane (CH4), and vitamin C (C6H8O6), that contain both carbon and hydrogen.
The chemistry of carbon is dominated by three factors.
1. Carbon forms unusually strong C-C single bonds, C=C double bonds, and carbon-carbon triple bonds.
2. The electronegativity of carbon (EN = 2.55) is too small to allow carbon to form C4- ions with most metals and too large for carbon to form C4+ ions when it reacts with nonmetals. Carbon therefore forms covalent bonds with many other elements.
3. Carbon forms strong double and triple bonds with a number of other nonmetals, including N, O, P, and S.
Elemental Forms of Carbon: Graphite, Diamond, Coke, and Carbon Black
Carbon occurs as a variety of allotropes. There are two crystalline forms diamond and graphiteand a number of amorphous (noncrystalline) forms, such as charcoal, coke, and carbon black.
References to the characteristic hardness of diamond (from the Greek adamas, "invincible") date back at least 2600 years. It was not until 1797, however, that Smithson Tennant was able to show that diamonds consist solely of carbon. The properties of diamond are remarkable. It is among the least volatile substances known (MP = 3550oC, BP = 4827oC), it is also the hardest substance known, and it expands less on heating than any other material.
The properties of diamond are a logical consequence of its structure. Carbon, with four valence electrons, forms covalent bonds to four neighboring