Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry is a branch within chemistry
which deals with the study of chemical compounds containing carbon;
their formation, their processes, properties, reactions and structure.
Formerly, it was popular belief that it was very difficult to artificially
synthesize compounds from living organisms. When it was realized
later, that even those compounds could be treated in ways similar
to the inorganic ones, in laboratories and through artificial processes,
organic chemistry gained momentum.
Organic compounds are usually covalently bond which allows it to
form unique structures in the form of long chains and rings. As
opposed to inorganic compounds, organic compounds melt, decompose,
sublime below 300 degrees. Solubility of organic compounds depends
on solvent type and on functional groups. Perkin's attempt to manufacture
quinine which resulted in organic dye generated a lot of interest
in organic chemistry.
Life depends on inorganic chemistry as well, and it is not always
that organic compounds can be related to all the life processes
taking place.
The production of organic molecules may include processes not including
life. These include those enzymes that require other metals, like
iron, rather than carbon. Elemental carbon and a few classes of
carbon compounds are also considered inorganic. Organic compounds
can be put to many uses in a number of applications. They are used
in products like paints, plastics, foods, explosives and also form
the basis of many natural and earthly life processes. They may even
act as catalysts in biochemical reactions, owing to their varying
reactivity.
The petrochemical industry was created by the discovery of petroleum
and its separation into fractions. Conversion of compounds using
different chemical processes also gave a boost to the petrochemical
industry. To explain classification, in organic chemistry it is
required that the relative arrangement of atoms within a molecule
must be added for a full description. In short, organic substances
are classified on the basis of their molecular arrangement and other
constituents.
Compounds have been divided into functional groups and have further
been distributed into sub classes. There are two major categories
of compounds; namely the aliphatic compounds and the cyclic compounds.
The aliphatic compounds are further divided into 3 groups, homologous
series, paraffin alkenes without any double or triple bonds or olefins
alkenes with the a single or double bond and acetylenes alkenes
with triple bonds. Aliphatic compounds may either be straight chained
or branch chained ones which further affects characteristics like
octane number or cetin number in petroleum chemistry.
Cyclic compounds maybe saturated or unsaturated. The cyclic hydrocarbons
can be divided into two groups namely; salicylic and aromatics.
The former type exists in the form of large rings while aromatics
contain conjugated double bonds e.g. benzene.
In organic chemistry, carbon is believed to have the capability
of forming certain compounds whose molecules can form a network
by attaching themselves to each other. This process is known as
polymerization and the chain that is formed is called polymers while
monomer remains the source compound. Polymers can be artificially
produced and are called industrial polymers while those occurring
naturally or synthetic polymers are referred to as biopolymers e.g.
Teflon, polythene, nylon etc. All these may be present in different
varieties varying on the basis of compositions used to produce them.
Another important area of study that falls within organic chemistry
is the bi molecular chemistry. It is of particular interest to biochemists.
Biochemistry involves the study of the long chains bio polymers
and amino acids, carbohydrates etc., basically, the multi-functional
group molecules in living organisms. Animal biochemistry contains
small molecule intermediates required to produce energy with the
use of common hydrocarbons found in animals.
Fullerenes are among those compounds which have electronic properties
due to their spherical structure. Organic compounds containing bonds
of carbon along with nitrogen, oxygen and halogen are also classified
within organic chemistry.
Organic reactions are chemical reactions which involve organic compounds
and the reactions the compounds undergo are determined by the functional
groups. Organic chemistry encompasses the study of all such reactions
and is an applied science used in many areas of study, especially
to design synthesis, analyze and put it to practical use.
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