General Introduction
Quick Notes
- Organic Chemistry is the study of carbon compounds, especially those with C-H bonds.
- Vital Force Theory: Early belief that organic compounds could only be made by living organisms.
- Wöhler’s Synthesis: Urea was synthesized from inorganic compounds, disproving vital force theory.
- Carbon’s Uniqueness: Forms four covalent bonds (tetravalency), can catenate (form chains).
Full Notes
What are Organic Compounds?
Organic compounds are chemical substances that contain carbon and are essential for life. They form the basis of many biological molecules such as DNA and proteins, and are also found in fuels, polymers, medicines, clothing, dyes, and more.
A Brief History
The science of organic chemistry began around the 1780s, when chemists first began to distinguish between:
- Organic compounds – from plants and animals.
- Inorganic compounds – from mineral sources.
Vital Force Theory:
Proposed by Swedish chemist Berzelius, this theory suggested that a "vital force" from living organisms was necessary to create organic compounds.
This idea was disproved in 1828 when Friedrich Wöhler synthesized urea (an organic compound) from ammonium cyanate (an inorganic salt) in a lab:
Important Milestones
- Kolbe (1845) synthesized acetic acid from inorganic sources.
- Berthelot (1856) synthesized methane.
These discoveries confirmed that organic compounds could be prepared from inorganic sources – no “vital force” required.
Modern Organic Chemistry
The development of the electronic theory of covalent bonding helped to explain how atoms form bonds in organic molecules, marking the beginning of modern organic chemistry.
Summary
- Organic chemistry studies carbon compounds that are central to life and industry.
- Vital force theory was disproved by laboratory syntheses such as Wöhler’s urea.
- Carbon’s tetravalency and catenation make vast structures and reactions possible.
- Modern bonding theory explains structures and reactivity in organic molecules.