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Bonding & Molecular Structure
Bonding & Molecular Structure
Organic Chemistry studies Carbon Chemistry exclusively and therefore hydrocarbons are very
popular reactions to study.
• Most of the wars between the US & the Middle East is over control of hydrocarbons.
• These hydrocarbons are _______________, _____, and _____ deposits from super dead &
super old (thousands of years) sea creatures decomposed & buried by geological activity.
• Because of their unique chemical & physical properties hydrocarbons are valuable to extract
energy from in the form of combustion reactions.
• Carbon & Hydrogen are both critical elements to all life as we understand it.
Chem-is-try 47
Types of Hydrocarbons
These are organic compounds composed of carbon and hydrogen only. For example: Methane
(CH4), Ethane (C2H6), Propane (C3H8), Propene (C3H6) etc. Glucose (C6H1206) has the element
oxygen in addition to carbon and hydrogen, hence it is not a hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons are
divided into two main groups namely aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. These are further divided
into subgroups as shown below;
Hydrocarbons
(1) Alkanes (2)Alkenes (3) Alkynes (4) Cyclic forms of 1, 2 and 3 Benzene and Polynuclear aromatic
its derivatives hydrocarbons
Aliphatic Hydrocarbons
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Functional Group - An atom or group of atoms that define an organic family with distinct physical
and chemical properties. It is the reactive part of the molecule. Reactions typically take place at a
functional group.
Chem-is-try 48
Cyclic Aliphatic Hydrocarbons
Aromatic Hydrocarbons
(AKA: Arenes or Aryl Hydrocarbons)
• Any hydrocarbon that keeps alternating double bonds throughout its entire structure.
• These alternating double bonds act like train tracks that allow the electrons to delocalize or
move around freely within the structure.
Chem-is-try 49