Organic Chemistry Notes
Organic Chemistry; Chemistry of Carbon Compounds

Carbon:
o (almost) always forms 4 bonds; we will not consider exceptions.
o can achieve many different geometries and structures
 Hydrocarbons:
o Compounds containing only H and C
o Flammable
o Can be saturated or unsaturated:
o Saturated:
 No double bonds
 “Saturated w/ Hydrogen”
 Solid at Room Temperature
o Unsaturated:
 some dbl./trpl. Bonds
 less Hydrogen
 Liquid at Room Temperature
Classes of Hydrocarbons:

Naming Hydrocarbons
1 carbon:
2 carbons:
3 carbons:
4 carbons:
5 carbons:



MethylEthylPropylButylPenta-
6 carbons:
7 carbons:
8 carbons:
9 carbons:
10 carbons
HexaHeptaOctaNonaDeca-
Alkanes
o Single C-C bonds
o Can be straight chain, branched chain or cyclic
CnH2n+2
o
Alkenes
o Double C-C bonds
o Can be straight chain, branched chain or cyclic
o Unsaturated; “Kinks”not free to rotate around double bond
o Fewer Hydrogens
CnH2n
o
Cyclic (“Aromatic”) Compounds
o Ring Structures
o Sometimes Includes Dbl, Triple Bond
o Multicyclic Hydrocarbons
o Many important biochemical compounds; nucleic acids (DNA), hormones,
medicines, amino acids (proteins), etc.
For help drawing skeletal formulas, follow this link.