Introduction to biological chemistry-L2 CNM

Page 1: Introduction to Organic Chemistry

• Organic chemistry can feel overwhelming and complex, akin to a dense jungle with many intricate pathways.

Page 2: Lecture Details

• Date: 2/2/2025

• Location: Koforid Technical University

• Presenter: Christiana Narkie Mensah, Department of Biomedical Engineering

Page 3: Lecture Outline

• Topics Covered:

  • Historical introduction

  • Molecular composition and structure

  • Basic nomenclature and structural formulae

  • Characteristic groups in organic chemistry

Page 4: Historical Introduction to Organic Chemistry

• Focus: Study of carbon and its compounds, a fundamental branch of chemistry.

• Origin: Traces back to ancient medicine when natural compounds were extracted for treatments.

• Example: Records of willow bark used for pain relief.

Page 5: Evolution of Organic Chemistry

• Development of pharmacology relied on organic chemistry knowledge.

• In early 1800s, Jon Jacob Berzelius defined organic chemistry.

• Classified compounds:

  • Organic: Originated from living matter

  • Inorganic: Derived from non-living matter

Page 6: Vitalism and Its Disproof

• Berzelius supported Vitalism, the idea that organic compounds arise only in living things.

• Frederich Wöhler's 1828 discovery refuted this by synthesizing urea from ammonium cyanate, showing organic compounds can be produced without a vital force.

Page 7: Impact of Wöhler's Discovery

• Opened doors for chemists to synthesize organic compounds without relying on living organisms.

Page 8: Sources of Organic Compounds

• Three primary sources:

  1. Carbonized organic matter (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas)

  2. Living organisms, each producing unique compounds (e.g., scents of flowers, flavors of fruits).

  3. Human ingenuity in synthesizing substances in labs, modifying structures of natural compounds.

Page 9: Further Exemptions in Organic Chemistry

• Some carbon compounds are historically not classified as organic:

  • Examples include CO, CO2, diamond, graphite, and specific salts (e.g., carbonate).

Page 10: Relevance of Carbon in Organic Chemistry

• Carbon's ability to form stable bonds with various elements (H, O, N, etc.) is essential.

• Carbon structures can be chains, rings, and complex 3D shapes.

Page 11: Diversity of Organic Compounds

• Over 16 million known organic compounds compared to about 600,000 inorganic compounds, due to carbon’s versatility.

Page 12: Biological Functions of Organic Compounds

• Organic compounds are vital for biological processes, including vitamins, proteins, and genetic materials (ATP, DNA, RNA).

Page 13: Organic Compounds in Daily Life

• Organic compounds serve as medicines, fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas), and in technology (paints, plastics).

Page 14: Atomic Orbitals and Carbon

• Carbon typically does not form ions, having four valence electrons; it forms bonds by sharing electrons to satisfy the octet rule.

Page 15: Hybrid Orbitals

• When carbon bonds with others, hybrid orbitals (sp3) are formed by mixing its atomic orbitals to create equivalent energy levels.

Page 16: Carbon Bonding

• Each carbon can form four bonds with various atoms, enabling versatile structures.

Page 17: Types of Carbon Bonds

• Carbon forms single (2 electrons), double (4 electrons), and triple (6 electrons) bonds.

Page 18: Catenation

• Catenation: Carbon's ability to link into chains or large structures, exemplifying its unique bonding characteristics.

Page 19: Classification of Organic Compounds

• Organic compounds are classified based on functional groups, with carbon as the main atom in their structure.

Page 20: Examples of Organic Compound Classes

• Alkane: No functional group (E.g., ethane).

• Alkene: C=C (E.g., ethene).

• Alkyne: C≡C (E.g., ethyne).

• Alcohol: C-O-H (E.g., ethyl alcohol).

• Aldehyde: R-CHO (E.g., ethanal).

Page 21: Carbon's Unique Properties

• Carbon can create long stable chains, essential for living organisms, forming the backbone of organic molecules.

Page 22: Reflections by Primo Levi

• Carbon's essential role in life reflects a complex interaction in nature, deserving recognition as a remarkable element.