Organic Compounds – Tetrahedral & Planar carbons

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Tetrahedral carbon compounds

In saturated organic compounds, all of the carbon atoms are tetrahedral.

A chloroalkane is an alkane in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced with chlorine atoms.
Chloroform (

) is an example of a chloroalkane.
Chloroalkane’s main uses:
- For removing oil and grease marks from machinery and in dry cleaning of clothes.
- Paint stripper.
- Correcting fluid, e.g. Tippex.

.
The -OH group is called the hydroxyl group and is the functional group of alcohols.
- A functional group is an atom or group of atoms which are responsible for the characteristic properties of a series of organic compounds.
Alcohols may be classified as primary, secondary or territory alcohols.
- A primary alcohol is one where the carbon atom joined to the -OH group is attached to only one other carbon atom. e.g. ethanol.
- In a secondary alcohol, the carbon atom joined to the -OH group is attached to two other carbon atoms. e.g propan-2-ol.
- In a tertiary alcohol, the carbon atom joined to the -OH group is attached to three other carbon atoms, e.g. 2-methylpropan-2-ol.
The best known alcohol is ethanol. Ethanol is found in alcoholic drinks.
- Ethanol for alcoholic drinks is made by fermentation of sugars in fruits which contain sugar glucose. e.g. grapes.
- In fermentation, enzymes in yeast break down the sugar to give carbon dioxide and ethanol.
- Ethanol is also used was a fuel and as a solvent. e.g. paints, perfumes, after-shaves, etc.

Planar compounds have a carbon-carbon or carbon-oxygen double bonds. The atoms in the double bonds are planar.

Aldehydes form a homologous series of organic compounds containing the -CHO functional group. Its general formula is

.
All aldehydes contain the carbonyl group.
They are named by replacing the -e at the end of the corresponding alkane name with -al.
Dipole-dipole attractions exist between adjacent aldehyde molecules of a carbon-oxygen double bond ( C = O ).
- This leads to increase in boiling points when compared with similar relative molecular mass but lower than those comparable alcohols.
The only aromatic aldehyde on our course is benzaldehyde. It is found in the oil of almonds.

The functional group of the ketones is >C=O.
Ketones are named by replacing the -e at the end of the corresponding alkane name with -one.
The physical properties of ketones are very similar to those of aldehydes, but the lower ketones are liquids at room temperature and are soluble in water.
Uses: propanone is used as solvent. e.g. for nail varnish remover.

Carboxylic acids are a family of organic compounds that contain the carboxyl functional group, -COOH. Its general formula is

.
Carboxylic acids are named by replacing the -e at the end of the corresponding alkane name with -oic acid.
Methanoic acid is found in the stings of nettles and ants.
Uses:
- Ethanoic acid is used to make a chemical called cellulose acetate, which is used in varnishes, lacquers, photographic film for camera and a type of textile called reyon.
- Propanoic acid, benzoic acid are used as food preservatives.

Esters are a family of compounds of general formula RCOOR’. The functional group is the -COO- group.
They have low boiling points.
They have strong and pleasant smells.
Fats and oils are long chain carboxylic acids which are naturally occurring esters.
Uses: Ethyl ethanoate is used as a solvent for printing inks and paints.