Carbon and its Compounds

Carbon and its Compounds

Diamond has a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded carbon atom. It is hard and colourless. It has high melting and boiling point and is a good conductor of heat but poor conductor of electricity.

Graphite is soft, black, and slippery in nature and has a layered structure. It is a good conductor of electricity.

Fullerenes contain carbon atoms arranged in closed structures similar to football.

Charcoal, coke and carbon black are microcrystalline forms of carbon. The compounds of carbon can be classified as organic and inorganic.

Carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are two important inorganic compounds of carbon. Organic compounds of carbon are hydrocarbons and their derivatives.

Hydrocarbons are classified as saturated and unsaturated. The saturated hydrocarbons contain carbon-carbon single bonds whereas the unsaturated hydrocarbons contain carbon-carbon multiple bonds.

Isomers have same molecular formula but different structure.

Some simple functional groups include halo-, hydroxyl-, carbonyl, carboxylic acid. Compounds containing the functional groups exhibit characteristic properties and have important uses in our daily life.

Tetravalency of Carbon

Carbon can form long chains of carbon atoms. This unique property of forming long chains is known as catenation.

Hydrocarbons

Contain carbon and hydrogen only.

Aliphatic (open chain) can be divided into: saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons: Saturated hydrocarbon single bond in unsaturated multiple bonds (double and triple bonds).

IUPAC Nomenclature

1. Alkane (CH4)

Word root + ane

meth + ane → Methane

2. Alkene (C2H4)

Word root + ene

eth + ene → ethene

3. Alkyne (C2H2)

Word root + yne

eth + yne → ethyne

4. Alcohol

CH3OH → Methane → replace e by ol → Methanol

C2H5OH → Ethane → replace e by ol → Ethanol

5. Ketone

Propane → replace e by one → propanone

6. Carboxylic Acid

CH3COOH

Ethane → replace e by -oic acid → ethanoic acid