Carbon Properties of carbon Functional groups of organic compounds

A. Properties of Carbon Each carbon can form four covalent bonds with other atoms Compounds formed from covalent bonds with carbon are called organic compounds Each covalent bond consists of a pair of shared electrons Single bond: when two atoms share one pair of electrons Double bond: when two atoms share two pairs of electrons

A. Properties of Carbon When a carbon atom forms four single bonds, its geometry is tetrahedral Example: methane When a carbon atom forms a double bond, its geometry is flat or linear Examples: ethene (ethylene), carbon dioxide

A. Properties of Carbon Carbon atoms can form stable bonds with other carbon atoms. Therefore, large stable molecules made of long “chains” of carbon are possible. Silicon, although tetravalent, does not form stable Si-Si chains. Therefore, the “silicon-based life” of science fiction does not exist.

A. Properties of Carbon Isomers are compounds with the same empirical formulas but with the atoms arranged in different arrangements Structural isomers Geometric isomers Entantiomers

B. Functional Groups See table in textbook