Chapter 6 Inorganic and
Organic Compounds: Names
and Formulas
6.6
Organic Compounds
Basic Chemistry
1
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Organic Compounds
An organic compound
• is a compound with one or more C atoms
• has many H atoms
• may also contain O, S, N, P, and halogens
Basic Chemistry
2
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Properties of Organic
Compounds
• Propane, C3H8, is an
organic compound
used as a fuel.
• NaCl, salt, is an
inorganic compound
composed of Na+
and Cl ions.
Basic Chemistry
3
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Organic Compounds
Typical organic compounds
• contain carbon
• have covalent bonds
• have low melting points
• have low boiling points
• are flammable
• are soluble in nonpolar solvents
Basic Chemistry
4
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Comparing Organic and
Inorganic Compounds
Basic Chemistry
5
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Learning Check
Identify each of the following characteristics
as most typical of compounds that are (I)
inorganic or (O) organic:
__1. has a high melting point
__2. not soluble in water
__3. formula is CH3─CH2─CH3
__4. formula is MgCl2
__5. burns easily in air
__6. has covalent bonds
Basic Chemistry
6
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Solution
Identify each of the following characteristics as
most typical of compounds that are (I)
inorganic of (O) organic:
I 1. has a high melting point
O 2. not soluble in water
O 3. formula is CH3─CH2─CH3
I 4. formula is MgCl2
O 5. burns easily in air
O 6. has covalent bonds
Basic Chemistry
7
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Tetrahedral Structure of Carbon
VSEPR theory predicts that
a carbon atom with four
single, covalent bonds is
tetrahedral as shown in a
• (a) tetrahedron
• (b) ball-and-stick model
• (c) space-filling model
• (d) expanded structural
formula
Basic Chemistry
8
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Organic Molecules
In organic molecules with more carbon atoms,
• valence electrons are shared
• covalent bonds form between C atoms
• covalent bonds form between C and H atoms
H H
H H
•• ••
HCCH
••
9
C
C
H
••
H H
Basic Chemistry
H
H H
Ethane, CH3─CH3
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Tetrahedral Structure of Ethane
In VESPR, two carbon
atoms in ethane each
have a tetrahedral
shape as shown in a
• (a) tetrahedron
• (b) ball-and-stick model
• (c) space-filling model
• (d) expanded structural
formula
Basic Chemistry
10
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