Carbon Chemistry

What’s so special about Carbon? Fourth most abundant element in the universe. Essential to life on earth. Many different forms… carbon dioxide (CO2), limestone (CaCO3), wood, plastic, diamonds, and graphite.

Carbon – The Element of Life Unique atomic structure… form covalent bonds with up to four other atoms. Elements with either less or more than 4 valence electrons can only form a maximum of 3 covalent bonds, this is why 4 is a magic number and why carbon is special. Lightest element (and therefore the smallest) with four valence electrons

Carbon Structures Chains Rings Branches

Carbon Bonds Single Double Tripple

Inorganic Compounds Inorganic compounds are those compounds that were never part of a living organism Examples: Carbon dioxide and Carbon monoxide The line between inorganic and organic carbon compounds is becoming less and less important to scientists as many non-living compounds are derived from once living organisms.

Organic Compounds Organic compounds are those compounds found in any organism that is living or was once living. Chemically… Organic compound – any compound that contains the elements carbon and hydrogen. They include carbohydrates such as glucose, fructose, and sucrose And hydrocarbons such as methane and hexane

Carbohydrates Monosaccharides- One unit (Simple Sugar) Disaccharides- Two units (Simple Sugar) Glucose- stored in our body Fructose- sugar in fruit Sucrose- one glucose + one fructose = table sugar

Carbohydrates Polysaccharides- Many units (Complex Carbs) Starch- a long chain of glucose- found in plants Similarly, Glycogen is glucose stored in animals and humans. Cellulose is glucose chains linked together and forms strong plant fibers.

Hydrocarbons Pure hydrocarbons- only Carbon + Hydrogen Isomers of Octane- often added to gasoline to stop the “knock” in the engine

Properties of Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbons are the simplest organic compounds, made up of only two elements -- they have low melting and boiling points -- hydrocarbons are flammable and tend to burn in combustion reactions -- hydrocarbons mix poorly with water (they are nonpolar) -- hydrocarbons are used for many of our fuels such as heating oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, coal and methane.

Prefix # Carbons Name Formula Structure Meth 1 Methane CH4 Eth 2 Ethane C2H6 Prop 3 Propane C3H8 But 4 Butane C4H10 Pent 5 Pentane C5H12 Hex 6 Hexane C6H14 Hept 7 Heptane C7H16 Oct 8 Octane C8H18 Non 9 Nonane C9H20

Now let’s build!