AKA Organic Chemistry Just the Basics!

The chemistry of carbon is important. Carbon atoms can bond to one another in chains, rings, and branching networks to form a variety of structures, including synthetic polymers, oils, and the large molecules essential to life. C5.8A Draw structural formulas for up to ten carbon chains of simple hydrocarbons. C5.8B Draw isomers for simple hydrocarbons. C5.8C Recognize that proteins, starches, and other large biological molecules are polymers.

Carbon is the basis for organic chemistry, as it occurs in all living organisms. Carbon is a nonmetal that can bond with itself and many other chemical elements, forming nearly ten million compounds.

Elemental carbon can take the form of one of the hardest substances (diamond) or one of the softest (graphite). Carbon is made in the interiors of stars, though it was not produced in the Big Bang.

Carbon compounds have limitless uses. Elemental form – Diamond is a gemstone and used for drilling/cutting; Graphite is used in pencils, as a lubricant, and to protect against rust Charcoal is used to remove toxins, tastes, and odors. The isotope Carbon-14 is used in radiocarbon dating.

Carbon has the highest melting/sublimation point of the elements. The melting point of diamond is ~3550°C Sublimation point of carbon around 3800°C. Pure carbon exists free in nature and has been known since prehistoric time.

The origin of the name 'carbon' comes from the Latin word carbo, for charcoal. Pure carbon is considered non-toxic, although inhalation of fine particles, such as soot, can damage lung tissue. Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe (hydrogen, helium, and oxygen are found in higher amounts, by mass).

Organic compounds are named with a different set of rules than Inorganic Compounds. Simplest organic compounds are hydrocarbons (only hydrogen and carbon atoms) Alkanes – Simplest form of hydrocarbon because it only has single bonds. Alkenes – Contain double bonds Alkynes – Contain triple bonds

First step of naming organic compounds is identifying the number of carbon atoms Add Prefix Number of carbons Prefix MethEthPropButPentHexHeptOctNonDec

Next, add a suffix to indicate the type of carbon bonds. -ane means single bonds -ene means double bonds -yne means triple bonds If it forms a ring, a pre-pre fix (cyclo-) is added.

EXAMPLES – Name these: C2H6C2H6 Ethane CH 3 CH 2 CH 2 CH 3 Butane Cyclobutane Nonane These are all examples of ALKANES. Notice: no double bonding!

EXAMPLE – How about this? These are all the same, but drawn differently. To account for the alkene, we have to identify location. It is attached to the third carbon, therefore its name: 3-Octene

Definition: A chemical species with the same number and types of atoms as another chemical species, but possessing different properties. What does that mean??? Carbons can be arranged in different ways, even though it has the same formula.

The larger the molecule, the more isomers it can have. Alkane (Number of Carbon)FormulaNumber of Isomers Propane (3)C3H8C3H8 1 Butane (4)C 4 H 10 2 Pentane (5)C 5 H 12 3 Hexane (6)C 6 H 14 5 Heptane (7)C 7 H 16 9 Octane (8)C 8 H Nonane (9)C 9 H Decane (10) C 10 H 22 75

The parent compound must have the longest chain of carbon atoms. The parent chain is numbered to give substituents the lowest possible numbers. Substituent names are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, etc. The number showing the point of attachment to the parent chain precedes the substituent name.

But we don’t need to bother with that… Lets move on!

Recognize that proteins, starches, and other large biological molecules are polymers. Polymer??? Take organic compounds and link them together and… IT’S A POLYMER! Living things use these all the time!

Remember way back when you took biology???

Sugars linked together!

You made it! I think we have this covered! PRACTICE TIME! Identifying organic compounds worksheet.