 The study of carbon-containing compounds and their reactions  Organic molecules – molecules containing carbon combined with several other elements including H, N, O, and S.  Organic molecules are common in foods, drugs, petroleum products, and pesticides  Organic molecules are known for the way they smell  Roses, vanilla, cinnamon, almond, jasmine, body odor, and rotting fish

 Tons of carbon containing compounds  Complexity is due to four valence electrons C  CO 2 H H H H →

 Propane  Isobutane  Cyclohexane

 Four single bonds → tetrahedral  When carbon has one triple bond or two double bonds → linear  When carbon has two single bonds and one double bond → trigonal planar

 Structural Formulas  A formula that shows the number and type of each atom in the molecule and the structure  Condensed Formulas  A shorthand way to write structural formulas CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 CH 3 (CH 2 ) 2 CH 3

 Compounds that contain only C and H  Commonly used as fuels, candle wax, gasoline, liquid propane, and natural gas  Starting materials for several consumer products – fabrics, soaps, dyes, cosmetics, drugs, plastic, and rubber

 Alkanes – C n H 2n+2  Alkenes – C n H 2n  Alkynes – C n H 2n-2  Aromatics

 C 14 H 28  Alkene  C 25 H 52  Alkane  C 12 H 22  Alkyne