General and Organic Chemistry - Lecture 9 - Organic Chemistry

The study of compounds of carbon.

Organic compounds are made up of carbon and only a few other elements, mainly hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen

COHN

but also, sulfure, phosphorus and halogens (flurine, chlorine, bromine or iodine)

Anything in Group 17
e.g.
Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine, Iodine

Scientists at one time believed that a "votal force" present in living organics was necessary to produce an organic compound.

The experiment of Wohler in 1828 was th first in a series of experiments that led to the demise of the vital force theory.
NH₄Cl + AgNCO -heat-> H₂N-C^=O-NH₂ + AgCl
Ammonium chloride + silver cyanate -> Urea + silver chloride

Chemists gave discovered or made over 10 million organic compounds and an estimated 100,000 new ones are discovered or made every year.
By comparison, chemists have discovered or made 1.7 million inorganic compounds.
Thus - approximatly 85% of all known compounds are organic

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, enzymes; nucleic acids, hormones, vitamins and almost all other chemicals in a living system are organic compounds.

Organic = almost entirely covalent
Inorganic = most have ionic bonds

Organic = solid, liquid, or gas with low melting points (less than 360^oC)
Inorganic = Most are solid with high melting points

Organics = most are insoluble, non-polar molecules and those with a carbon chanin longer than 5 (pent-) then it is so large the polar portion does not have as greater attraction force.
Inorganic = may a soluble in water as they are ionic compounds (SPAAN) and have a differently charge atoms (compounds).

Organic = most are soluble in organic solvents
Inorganic = most are insoluble in organic solvents

e.g. diethylether, toluene, dichloromethane

Organic = aquesous solutions do not conduct electricity
Inorganic = aquesous solutions conduct electricity

Organic = Almost all burn
Inorganic = Very few burn

Organic = usually slow
Inorganic = reactions are often fast