Organic chemistry

Organic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the study of
carbon-containing molecules known as organic compounds (except carbon
dioxide and monoxide). Although there is an overlap with biochemistry, the
latter is the specific study of the molecules made by living organisms.

Some of the classes of substances studied in organic chemistry include:
aliphatic compounds which deals with chains of carbon which can be modified
by functional groups; aromatic compounds which are compounds having a
benzene ring or similar group; heterocyclic compounds, compounds which
include non-carbon atoms as part of a ring structure; physiologically active
compounds which have an effect on the human body; and polymers - long chains
of repeating groups.

History

For some time it was believed that organic compounds could be produced only
by living organisms (hence the name) until the synthesis of urea by
Friedrich Wšhler in 1828.

Characterisitics of organic substances

The reason that there are so many carbon compounds is that carbon has the
ability to form many carbon chains of different lengths, and rings of
different sizes. A lot of carbon compounds are extremely sensitive to heat,
and generally decompose below 300'C. They tend not to be so soluble in water
compared to many inorganic salts. In contrast to such salts, they tend to be
much more soluble in organic solvents such as ether or alcohol. Organic
compounds are covalently bonded.

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