Carbon and Its Compounds

Organic Compounds

Initially, compounds of carbon could only be obtained from living sources and there was no way of synthesizing them. Hence, carbon compounds are also known as organic compounds. Carbon forms a large number of compounds. So far, formulae of about 3 million carbon compounds are known.

Cause of formation of such a large number of compounds by carbon:

• Carbon can form bonds with other carbon atoms. This property of carbon is known as CATENATION. Because of catenation, carbon can form a long chain, while making bond with other carbon atoms. Carbon can make single, double and triple bonds by catenation.
• Carbon can form branched chain, along with straight chain, while combining with carbon atoms, i.e. because of the property of catenation.

Example:

Carbon can also form bonds with other types of monovalent atoms, apart from carbon. Carbon can make long chain combining with other atoms also. For example; carbon can form bonds with oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, etc.

Carbon-carbon bonds are very stable, which makes the compounds of carbon stable.

Hydrocarbon:

(Hydrogen + Carbon = Hydrocarbon) Compounds formed because of the combination of hydrogen and carbon are known as hydrocarbons. There are two types of hydrocarbon, viz. saturated hydrocarbon and unsaturated hydrocarbon.

Saturated hydrocarbons: Hydrocarbons having single bonds are known as SATURATED HYDROCARBONS. Saturated hydrocarbons are known as ALKANE. These are also known as paraffin. Example: Methane, Ethane, Propane, etc.

Unsaturated hydrocarbon: Unsaturated hydrocarbons are of two types,i.e. Hydrocarbon with double bond and hydrocarbon with triple bond.

Hydrocarbon with double bond: Hydrocarbons having at least one double bond are known as ALKENE. Example: Ethylene, Propylene, Butylene, etc.

Hydrocarbon with triple bond: Hydrocarbons having at least one triple bond are known as ALKYNE. Example: Ethyne, Propyne, Butyne, etc.

Alkane

Hydrocarbons having only single bonds are known as alkane. These are saturated hydrocarbons. Alkane are also known as paraffin. The general formula of alkane is C_nH_2n+2

If C = 1, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₁H_{2 × 1 + 2} = CH₄

Name of this compound is methane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

If C = 2, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₂H_{2 × 2 + 2} = C₂H₆

Name of this compound is ethane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of ethane can also be written as CH₃CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₃

If C = 3, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₃H_{2 × 3 + 2} = C₃H₈

Name of this compound is propane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of propane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₃

If C = 4, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₄H_{2 × 4 + 2} = C₄H₁₀

Name of this compound is butane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of propane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₃

If C = 5, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₅H_{2 × 5 + 2} = C₅H₁₂

Name of this compound is pentane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of pentane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₃

If C = 6, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₆H_{2 × 6 + 2} = C₆H₁₄

Name of this compound is hexane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of hexane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₃

If C = 7, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₇H_{2 × 7 + 2} = C₇H₁₆

Name of this compound is heptane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of heptane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₃

If C = 8, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₈H_{2 × 8 + 2} = C₈H₁₈

Name of this compound is octane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of octane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₃

If C = 9, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₉H_{2 × 9 + 2} = C₉H₂₀

Name of this compound is nonane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of nonane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₃

If C = 10, then, C_nH_2n+2 = C₁₀H_{2 × 10 + 2} = C₁₀H₂₂

Name of this compound is decane. It can be shown by following structural formula:

Structural formula of decane can also be written as CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃ or CH₃ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₂ − CH₃