We explain what organic compounds are, their composition and classification. Also, its characteristics and examples.
What are organic compounds?
Organic compounds are understood to be those substances made up of various elements, in which Its main structure is based on carbon and hydrogen.although they may also have other elements associated with the chemistry of life (biochemistry) and play a primary role as constituents.
Molecules and organic compounds They occur spontaneously in naturealthough they can also be synthesized in a laboratory.
The distinction between organic and inorganic compounds is complex and has been the subject of much controversy within the specialist community. However, one apparent point of organic nature is the predominance of carbon atoms linked to other carbon atoms and hydrogens.
However, Not all molecules containing carbon and hydrogen are, in fact, organic. This differentiation lies rather in its proximity to biochemistry, that is, the chemistry of known life.
organic compounds They can contain a wide variety of elementsbut carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) predominate, as well as oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), phosphorus (P), boron (B) and halogens. The presence of these elements does not guarantee that a compound is organic, but there are no organic compounds that lack carbon and hydrogen.
See also: Organic Chemistry
Characteristics of organic compounds
The most characteristic physical and chemical properties of organic compounds are: combustibility, covalence, isomerism, solubility and polymerization.
- Combustibility. One of the main characteristics of organic compounds is their combustion capacity, that is, their flammable nature. This capacity, derived from its high presence of carbon, is used by living beings to obtain biochemical energy (ATP). Man also uses the fossils of ancient living beings, in which this fuel potential is found at its maximum expression. This is how oil, coal or natural gas is used for various energy production tasks.
- Covalence. Organic compounds are covalent in nature, that is, non-ionic (they respond poorly to electrical conduction and solubility in polar solvents). This is because most of their atomic bonds are covalent (sharing electrons between atoms) and do not bond through electrostatic attraction, as in the case of metal ions with non-metallic ones to form ionic compounds.
- Solubility. One of the principles of chemistry states that substances dissolve in a similar substance (of similar polarity). Hence, some organic compounds are soluble in water, the most polar, because water is polar. On the other hand, depending on the similarity of their polarities, other organic compounds can be soluble in alcohols, ethers or solvents made with substances of a similar nature.
- Polymerization. The polymerization process is exclusive to organic compounds and results in a high molecular weight macromolecule (polymer). It is carried out using smaller molecules called monomers, which are linked through certain chemical synthesis processes to form long chains. Plastic, for example, is a polymer that has turned out to be a flexible and resistant organic material, with incalculable industrial uses. Polymerization is an example of the many applications of the knowledge of organic chemistry.
- IsomerismMany organic compounds present isomerism, that is, the ability to have identical formulas in the number and type of elements involved, but organized in a different way, which results in a totally different final compound.
Origin of organic compounds
Organic molecules can come from natural or artificial sources:
- Natural. They are synthesized by living beings, although they can also be produced as a result of natural processes in which no living being is involved (such as hydrocarbons from petroleum).
- Artificial. They are manufactured from artificial processes in a laboratory, where organic compounds are obtained that do not even exist in nature.
Types of organic compounds
There are several types of organic compounds:
- AliphaticThey are made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They can be linear, branched or cyclic, but never aromatic.
- Aromatics. Also called arenes, it is the broadest class, initially intended for derivatives of benzene and mineral tar. They are characterized by having greater molecular stability as a result of single and double bonds (between carbon atoms) that alternate in their structure.
- HeterocyclicThey are compounds of a cyclic (non-linear) nature whose structure has at least one carbon atom replaced by an atom of another element.
- Organometallic. They are organic compounds that join metal atoms through covalent bonds. Some chemists consider them a separate group from organic and inorganic.
- Polymers. They are organic macromolecules of high molecular mass, which are held together forming long chains and giving rise to more complex substances such as proteins or DNA.
Examples of organic compounds
Examples of organic compounds are:
Continue with: Alkenes
References:
- “Chemistry” 2nd edition. Victor Manuel Ramirez Regalado. 2014. ISBN: 978-607-744-007-9
- “Introduction to Organic Chemistry” Juan Carlos Autino, Gustavo Romanelli and Diego Manuel Ruiz. Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences. Editorial National University of La Plata. 2013.
- “Main Chemical Compounds” National University of Distance Education.2015. ISBN: 978-84-362-6916-1
- “Organic Chemistry” on Wikipedia.
- “Organic Compound” in Wikipedia.