Organic Chemistry

The Chemistry of Carbon

 Hybridization of Carbon
 Carbon, when single bonded, has sp3 hybrid orbitals. This
results in a tetrahedral shaped molecule. Ex. CH4

 Double bonded carbon is sp2 hybridized Ex. C2H4

 Triple bonded carbon is sp hybridized Ex. C2H2

 Allotropes of carbon (other carbon structures)

 Diamond – carbon covalently bonded in a crystal
 Graphite – covalently bonded in sheets
 Fullerenes – carbon bonded in rings – look like soccer ball
Ex. C60
 Chemistry of Carbon Compounds

 Carbon can bond itself to form chains or rings (catenation)

 Hydrocarbon – carbon & hydrogen bonded together
 Isomers – compounds that have the same molecular formula,
but different structures
 Structural Isomers – atoms bonded together in different order
 Stereoisomers – bonding in the same order but the
arrangement of atoms is different
 Enantiomers (non super imposable mirror images)
 Geometric Isomers – (cis/trans isomers)
 Alkanes
Hydrocarbons with only single bonds. The name is based on the # of
carbons. All alkane names end in –ane and have general formula
CxH2x+2.
# carbons Alkane Name Formula Prefix
1 Methane CH4 Meth-
2 Ethane C2H6 Eth-
3 Propane C3H8 Prop-
4 Butane C4H10 But-
5 Pentane C5H12 Pent-
6 Hexane C6H14 Hex-
7 Heptane C7H16 Hept-
8 Octane C8H18 Oct-
9 Nonane C9H20 Non-
10 Decane C10H22 Dec-
 IUPAC rules
1. Find the longest continuous chain of carbon atoms. This gives you the stem name
for the compound.
2. Look for any groups or elements other than Hydrogen that may appear in the
molecule. There will be a special prefix for each such group. If there is more than
one group of any kind use the prefixes di (two), tri (three), tetra (four), and so on to
tell how many of the groups there are.
3. Use a number to show where each of the substituted groups appears. If there are
more than two groups of the same kind, each must have a number.
4. Always count from the end of the chain that will give you the lowest possible
number or combination of numbers.
5. Use hyphens to separate numbers from names, and commas to separate numbers
from each other.
 Types of Carbon Chains
 Alkenes – hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds.
Name ends in –ene and have form CxH2x. Ex. Propene
 Alkynes - hydrocarbons with one or more triple bonds.
Name ends in –yne and have form. Ex. Ethyne
 Alcohols –An –O-H functional group. -O-H is located
on a carbon atom. Alcohol names end in –ol. Ex.
Methanol, Ethanol
 Alkyl Halides – Halogen substituted hydrocarbons.
Halogen names go in the prefix. Ex. 2-bromopentane
 Ethers have an oxygen between two carbon chains.
Named with the names of the 2 chains and the word
“ether”. Diethyl ether, ethyl methyl ether
 Types of Carbon Chains

 Aldehydes – hydrocarbons with a double bonded oxygen

on an outer carbon. Name ends in –al. Ex. Hexanal
 Ketones - hydrocarbons with a double bonded oxygen on
an inner carbon. Name ends in –one. Ex. Propanone
 Carboxylic Acids –An –O-H functional group and
double bonded oxygen is located on the end of a carbon
chain. Names end in –oic acid. Ex. Butanoic Acid
 Esters – have an oxygen between two carbon chains and
a double bonded oxygen. Name the group attached to
the oxygen first. Name the carboxylic acid chain.
Change the carboxylic acid name to end in –oate. Ex.
Ethyl butanoate
Name These Babies!
 1-pentene
 2,2-dichloropropane
 3-heptanol
 2-octanone
 Butyl ethyl ether
 1-pentanal
 Methanoic Acid
 5-nonyne
 Propyl propanoate
 Trivia Time!

What country has more English

speakers than any in the
world?
China