Families of Organic Compounds

Introduction to Organic Chemistry

  • Organic chemistry focuses on the study of carbon-based compounds.

  • Over 10 million known compounds contain carbon.

  • Carbon compounds are ubiquitous, found in:

    • Paint

    • Gasoline

    • Plastics

    • Pesticides

    • Medicinal drugs

  • Organic chemistry has direct connections to biochemistry and biological processes.

Families of Organic Compounds

  • Organic compounds are classified into families based on the presence of specific atoms or functional groups.

    • Functional Group:

    • Definition: An atom, group of atoms, or bond that provides the molecule with particular chemical properties.

  • Families are differentiated according to the atoms present in a molecule.

Hydrocarbons

  • Hydrocarbons are compounds composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

  • Hydrocarbons can be categorized into four families:

    • Families of hydrocarbons interact primarily through London forces, which are weak intermolecular attractions.

Types of Hydrocarbons and Related Bonding

  • The type of bond present in hydrocarbons influences their molecular shape and bond angles:

    • Alkanes:

    • Bond Type: Single bonds (sigma bonds).

    • Shape: Tetrahedral.

    • Bond Angle: 109.5°.

    • Alkenes:

    • Bond Type: At least one double bond (one sigma and one pi bond).

    • Shape: Trigonal planar.

    • Bond Angle: 120°.

    • Alkynes:

    • Bond Type: At least one triple bond (one sigma and two pi bonds).

    • Shape: Linear.

    • Bond Angle: 180°.

Heteroatoms in Organic Compounds

  • The remaining families of organic compounds typically contain at least one heteroatom:

    • Definition: Any atom in the molecule that is not carbon or hydrogen.

Families Containing Oxygen

  • Compounds containing single bonds to oxygen include the following families:

    • Alcohols:

    • Structure: An –OH (hydroxyl) group is attached to an alkane-type carbon.

    • Phenols:

    • Structure: An –OH (hydroxyl) group is directly attached to an aromatic ring.

    • Ethers:

    • Structure: A C-O-C linkage between carbon atoms.

Families Containing Sulfur

  • Compounds containing sulfur are similar to those containing oxygen.

    • Thiols:

    • Structure: An –SH (sulfhydryl) group attached to an alkane-type carbon.

    • Sulfides:

    • Structure: A C-S-C linkage.

    • Disulfides:

    • Structure: A C-S-S-C linkage.

  • Both oxygen and sulfur-containing compounds are commonly found in nature and contribute to various familiar smells.

Families Containing Nitrogen

  • Compounds containing nitrogen include:

    • Amines:

    • Structure: A nitrogen atom is directly attached to one or more alkane-type or aromatic carbon atoms.

    • Importance: Amines are prevalent in various biochemical compounds.

Families Containing Halogens

  • Alkyl Halides:

    • Definition: An alkane-type carbon atom bonded to a halogen atom.

Interactions of Heteroatom Containing Compounds

Oxygen and Nitrogen

  • Alcohols, phenols, and amines typically exhibit the following interactions:

    • Hydrogen Bonding:

    • Occurs when hydrogen is bonded to electronegative atoms such as oxygen or nitrogen.

    • Molecules such as alcohols, phenols, ethers, amines, and alkyl halides possess polar bonds, leading to dipole-dipole interactions.

Sulfur Compounds

  • Thiols, sulfides, and disulfides only have nonpolar covalent bonds and interact via London forces.

  • Note: All molecules can manifest London forces, although the contribution is minimal for small molecules.

Carbonyl Containing Families

  • Compounds with double bonds to oxygen exhibit specific structures:

    • Carbonyl Group:

    • Defined as a C=O bond.

    • Ketones:

    • Definition: A carbonyl group that is attached to two other carbon atoms.

    • Aldehydes:

    • Definition: A carbonyl group attached to at least one hydrogen atom.

Examples of Organic Compounds

  • Structures of several organic compounds include:

    • Progesterone: Structure includes various carbon and functional group arrangements.

    • Testosterone: A fundamentally similar structure to progesterone, varying through one double bond and specific functional groups.

    • Vanillin: Notable for its aromatic ring and functional –OH group.

    • Jasmone: Characterized by unique carbon chain configurations.

    • Cinnamaldehyde: Contains a carbonyl group and is derived from natural cinnamon.

Visual Reference for Organic Structures

  • Illustrations of organic compounds can help visualize the arrangement of atoms and functional groups in the discussed families of organic compounds.