Welcome to the Organic Chemistry category, where the intricacies of carbon-based molecules are unveiled. Dive into the diverse world of organic compounds, exploring their structures, properties, and reactions. Discover the fascinating realm of functional groups, stereochemistry, and organic synthesis. Uncover the applications of organic chemistry in drug development, materials science, and more. Immerse yourself in the captivating world of organic chemistry and unravel the secrets of carbon-based life.
What is organic synthesis? The aim of organic synthesis is the construction of more complex molecules from simpler structures. This process involves the chaining of reactions from a given substrate to obtain the molecule that is the object of the synthesis. In molecules with several functional groups, synthetic procedures become, practically in a “tailor-made suit”for … Read more
It is the most rigorous method for determining whether a pericyclic reaction is allowed or not, and it was developed by Woodward-Hoffmann. In a reaction, if there is an element of symmetry that is conserved along the entire reaction coordinate, it must be possible to correlate the orbitals of the reactants with the orbitals of … Read more
In this page, the structure and representation of organic molecules is discussed. First, a review of functional groups and the types of structural formulas to represent them is given. Subsequently, key concepts in Organic Chemistry such as electronegativity, bond polarity and hybridization are discussed. It continues with representations of Lewis structures and resonant ones. Finally, … Read more
What are aromatic heterocycles? A heterocyclic compound is an organic compound in which one or more of the carbon atoms in the backbone of the molecule has been replaced by an atom other than carbon. Typical heteroatoms include nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur. Of this group, those that obey Hückel’s rule are called aromatics. Heterocycles with … Read more
What are pyrazoles, triazoles and tetrazoles? Derivatives of pyrazoles, triazoles and tetrazoles are stable aromatic compounds. Many of them have been used as pharmaceuticals, dyes and pesticides. The tetrazoles are relevant in medicinal chemistry. This is because the tetrazole group behaves similar to carboxylic acids. Both systems are planar, have comparable pKa (that of the … Read more
What are pyridines? Pyridine is a colorless liquid that boils at 115 ºC. It used to be obtained almost exclusively from coal tar. Today, it is obtained industrially from ammonia and acetylene. Pyridine like benzene has 6 π electrons (aromatic Hückel). Its structure is planar with bond angles of 120º. The heat of combustion reveals … Read more
What are imidazoles? The imidazoles are nitrogenated heterocycles, with two nitrogens in positions 1 and 3. They are planar and have a significant resonance energy, somewhat higher than that of the pyrrole. The imidazole system can act both as a base and as an acid. Free imidazole is a moderately strong organic base (pKa7.0). It … Read more
What are indoles? The indole unit occurs in nature in a great variety of structures. Thus, more than 100 alkaloids derived from indole are known. In addition, many of these natural compounds have a relevant physiological activity, for example, in the treatment of leukemia and cancer. Indole is a volatile crystalline solid with a melting … Read more
What are alkenes? Alkenes are compounds that have at least one C=C double bond. They are also known as olefins. When there is only one double bond in the molecule, its general formula is CnH2n, and for each additional double bond, two hydrogens are subtracted from the formula. The carbons connected by a double bond … Read more
What are aldehydes? Aldehydes are organic compounds that have the functional group -CHO (formyl), a carbonyl group >C=O with a hydrogen. Applications Aldehydes are present in many natural products and are widely used for the manufacture of all kinds of chemical compounds. For example, they have applications in materials such as plastics, perfumes, solvents, paints, … Read more
