CHM135H1 Lecture Notes - Atom, Molecular Geometry, Bond Length
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Study of compounds containing carbon
What is Organic Chemistry?
Organic compounds also contain H, N, O, P, S, Cl…
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Organic Chemistry was first (and wrongly!) defined in 1770:
• Compounds from living organisms
• contain “vital force” that can’t be made in the lab
Organic
sugars
plant oils
starches
waxes
urea
Inorganic
salts
rocks
gases
Vitalism disproved in 1828
Wöhler made urea (found in urine) from an inorganic salt:
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Why is Carbon special?
Not very electronegative (shares well, makes strong covalent bonds)
Can make long C-C chains or rings (biological molecules can have
from 1 C to millions!)
C can make up to four bonds.
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/opg/images/dna.jpg
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