Organic compounds are carbon-based chemicals found in living organisms and non-living things. They are important for life processes and used in various everyday products.
Organic compounds have four different sorts of formula:
i. Molecular formula.
ii. Structural formula.
iii. Condensed formula.
iv. Dot and Cross formula.
A chemical formula that represents the number and types of atoms present in a molecule.
A diagram that shows the arrangement of atoms in a molecule and the bonds between them.
A shorter version of the structural formula that omits some bond lines and simplifies the representation of a molecule.
A representation of a molecule that uses dots to represent valence electrons and crosses to represent positive charges or lone pairs of electrons.
Formula Type | Compound Name | Structure |
Molecular Formula | Glucose | C₆H₁₂O₆ |
Structural Formula | Ethanol | H─C(CH₂OH)₂─CHO |
Condensed Formula | Isopropyl alcohol | CH₃(CH₂OH)₂CHO |
Dot and Cross Formula | Methanol | H·C(CH₂OH)₂·CHO |
Organic compounds can be classified into two main categories:
Organic compounds with a linear arrangement of carbon atoms forming a straight or branched chain, lacking a closed ring structure. They are also known as aliphatic compounds.
They are further divided in two types:
These compounds have a linear arrangement of carbon atoms forming a straight chain.
These compounds have a carbon chain with branches or side chains attached to it.
This branch is also divided in two more branches:
These are branched chain organic compounds that form closed-ring structures, similar to cyclic compounds, but do not contain any aromatic properties.
These are branched chain organic compounds that contain a specific type of cyclic structure known as an aromatic ring, characterized by the presence of alternating double bonds and exceptional stability.
Cyclic compounds are organic compounds that contain a closed-ring structure formed by carbon atoms.
Cyclic compounds are further divided in two types:
These compounds contain a ring structure that includes atoms other than carbon, such as nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.
These compounds contain a ring structure composed solely of carbon atoms.
These classifications are based on the arrangement and connectivity of carbon atoms in the organic compounds.
The following factors contribute to the existence of such a great number of organic compounds:
It is the ability of carbon atoms to form long chains and bond with each other, resulting in the vast diversity of organic compounds.
It refers to the phenomenon where different organic compounds have the same molecular formula but differ in the arrangement or connectivity of atoms, leading to distinct chemical and physical properties.
Carbon forms strong covalent bonds with other elements, allowing it to create stable and diverse organic compounds that play a crucial role in the chemistry of life.
Carbon can form multiple bonds, such as double or triple bonds, with other atoms, enabling the formation of complex organic molecules with unique reactivity and properties.