Branch of chemistry

dealing with carbon

molecules.

Organic Chemistry
Compounds containing only
carbon & hydrogen

Hydrocarbons
 It can form up to 4
covalent bonds with other
carbon atoms.

Why can carbon form so

many compounds?
 A triple bond
(3 pairs or 6 electrons)

What is the maximum # of

bonds between any 2 C atoms?
• Molecular • Decompose on heating
• Low melting points • Poor conductors of
• Low boiling points heat & electricity
• Low Hf • Nonpolar (vdw forces)
• Low Hv • Dissolve in nonpolar
• High evaporation rate solvents
• High vapor pressure • React slowly
• May be gases, liquids, • Solids may be soft or
or solids brittle

Properties of hydrocarbon
molecules
 1

Bonding capacity of H?
 2

Bonding capacity of O?
 1

Bonding capacity of the

halogens (F, Cl, Br, I)?
 2

Bonding capacity of S?
 3

Bonding capacity of N & P?

 4

Bonding capacity of C?
 the corners of a
regular tetrahedron.

The 4 single bonds of a carbon

atom are directed to …
 Hydrocarbon containing
only single carbon-carbon
bonds

Saturated hydrocarbon
 Hydrocarbon containing
at least 1 double or triple
carbon-carbon bond

Unsaturated hydrocarbon
Tell the kind & number
of atoms in a molecule.

Chemical or Molecular
Formulas
Tell the kind & number of atoms
in a molecule. Also attempt to
show approximate shapes &
bonding patterns of molecules.

Structural Formulas
 A group of related compounds in
which each member differs from
the one before it by the same
additional unit. Properties vary in
a predictable way.

Homologous Series
•Homologous series of
saturated hydrocarbons. with
the general formula CnH2n+2.

• Ratio of C to H is n:2n+2

Alkanes
Release energy when
burned: fuels.

Alkanes
•Prefix: depends on # of carbon
atoms in longest continuous chain.

•Suffix: ane

Naming Alkanes
•Nonpolar.

•Boiling point  as # of carbon atoms

. (van der Waals forces increase
with size).

•Insoluble in water. (Like dissolves

like.)

Properties of Alkanes
•The electron cloud of the molecule is
fairly evenly distributed. Either:

–Molecule has atoms with similar

electronegativities
–Molecule has high symmetry

Nonpolar
•Molecules with the same chemical formula
but different structural formulas.

•Different chemical & physical properties.

Different names.
•Same formula mass & percentage
composition.

Isomers
•# of possible isomers  as # of
C atoms 

Isomers
 Homologous series of
unsaturated hydrocarbons
containing 1 double carbon-
carbon bond.

Alkenes
 CnH2n

General formula of alkenes

•Prefix: depends on # of carbon
atoms in longest continuous chain.

•Suffix: ene

•# in front may give location of

double bond.

Naming Alkenes
Slightly more reactive than
the alkanes. Double bond is
site of reactivity.

Properties of Alkenes
Homologous series of
unsaturated hydrocarbons
containing 1 carbon-carbon
triple bond.

Alkynes
 CnH2n-2

General formula of alkynes

•Prefix: depends on # of carbon
atoms in longest continuous chain.

•Suffix: yne

•# in front gives location of

triple bond.

Naming alkynes