Organic Compounds’ Definition And Introduction

The compounds with carbon as one of the main elements are known as organic compounds. In organic compounds, the bonding between the atoms is covalent. When two atoms share their electron pair mutually, the bond formed between them is known as a covalent bond since carbon has four valence electrons. 

Carbon can neither lose nor accept a pair of electrons to form a bond with another element. That’s why carbons share the pair of electrons mutually with another element. The carbons also show the property of replication which is known as catenation. Due to the catenation property of carbon, there are numerous organic compounds around us, and these compounds are classified broadly, respectively.

In our day to day life, various organic compounds are connected to us. These can be proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and more. These compounds have one feature in common: they are made up of carbon and hydrogen. Therefore the carbon-hydrogen compounds are known as organic compounds.

Classification Of Organic Compounds

The organic compounds can be broadly classified into two categories which can be written as-

• Open Chain Compounds or acyclic compounds

• Closed Chain Compounds or cyclic compounds

The organic compounds are mainly divided into two categories: open-chain compounds, also known as acyclic compounds and closed chain compounds, also known as cyclic compounds. These compounds can be subdivided into different compounds.

Open Chain Compounds

The very first classification of organic compounds is open-chain organic compounds. The organic compounds whose structural formula is straight are open-chain organic compounds. Open chain organic compounds are also known as acyclic compounds. Acyclic compounds are those compounds whose structural formula is not cyclic. For instance: methane, ethane, acetone, methanol etc.

Open chain compounds (aliphatic compounds) can be classified broadly into two categories which such as:

• Saturated Compounds

• Unsaturated Compounds

Saturated compounds are those compounds that do not have a double or triple bond between carbon and hydrogen. In saturated compounds, we have alkanes. Alkanes are those saturated compounds with a single bond between carbon and hydrogen. For instance: methane, propane, methanol etc.

Unsaturated compounds are those organic compounds that have a double or triple bond between the carbon and hydrogen atoms, respectively. The compounds that have double bonds between carbon and hydrogen are called alkenes, whereas the compounds that have a triple bond between carbon and hydrogen are termed alkynes. Alkenes and alkynes are part of unsaturated organic compounds—for instance, ethane, butene (alkenes), butyne, propyne (alkyne).

Closed Chain Compounds

Organic compounds are also classified as closed chain organic compounds. The compound in which carbon is enclosed within a closed chain is known as a closed chain organic compound. Closed chain organic compounds are also known as cyclic compounds or ring compounds. 

Cyclic compounds are those compounds in which the carbon chain forms a cycle or ring. Such compounds can also be referred to as ring compounds.

Cyclic compounds can be classified into two categories which are-

• Homocyclic compounds

• Heterocyclic compounds

Homocyclic compounds are those cyclic compounds that are purely composed of a carbon chain. No other functional group is attached to the ring. Such compounds are known as homocyclic compounds. Homocyclic compounds are nonpolar because they are only composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms. For instance: cyclo-propane, cyclo-butane etc.

Homocyclic compounds are further divided into the following categories:

• Alicyclic compounds

• Aromatic compounds

Alicyclic compounds do not have any double or triple bonds present between carbon and hydrogen. Such compounds are known as alicyclic compounds. For instance: cyclo-pentane, cyclo-hexane etc.

Aromatic compounds are those compounds that have double or triple bonds present between carbon and hydrogen. Also, they give an aroma. Aromatic compounds can be further divided into various categories. For instance: benzene, cyclo-butene etc.

Heterocyclic compounds are those cyclic compounds that have carbon in the ring chain, and other functional groups are also attached to that ring chain. Due to the presence of the functional, the ring becomes reactive, and its chemical and physical properties also do change.

Conclusion

Organic compounds are those compounds in which carbon and hydrogen atoms bonded together with covalent bonds. The organic compounds are nonpolar. The functional group attached to the organic compounds completely changes its physical and chemical properties. The organic compounds can be classified as open-chain organic compounds and closed-chain organic compounds, which can be subdivided into different categories based on saturation present in the compounds, respectively. The saturation is decided by the number of bonds present between the two carbon atoms present in the chain.