Chapter 5: Practical Chemistry of Organic Matter
We kick off this chapter by discussing the practical aspects of organic chemistry. It may surprise you
to learn that organic chemistry is all around us and plays a critical role in our daily lives! Here are
some examples of how organic chemistry is used in the real world, with examples from videos:
Plastics: Did you know that plastics are made from organic compounds? In one video, we see
a plastic bottle being made from polyethylene, which is derived from ethylene, a simple
organic compound.
Medicines: Many medicines are derived from organic compounds. For example, the video
shows how aspirin is made from salicylic acid, which is found in the bark of willow trees.
Food: Organic chemistry plays a critical role in the food industry. In one video, we see how
vanillin, the compound that gives vanilla its flavor, is made from guaiacol, an organic
compound.
Now, let's dive into some of the key concepts covered in this chapter.
One important concept in organic chemistry is functional groups. A functional group is a specific
arrangement of atoms within a molecule that determines the molecule's chemical properties. For
example, the functional group in an alcohol is a hydroxyl (-OH) group, while the functional group in
an alkane is a methyl (-CH3) group.
Another critical concept in organic chemistry is isomerism. Isomers are molecules that have the
same molecular formula but different structures, leading to different chemical properties. There are
two types of isomers: constitutional isomers and stereoisomers. Constitutional isomers have
different arrangements of atoms, while stereoisomers have the same arrangement of atoms but
different spatial orientations.
Understanding isomerism is crucial for identifying and synthesizing organic compounds. For example,
consider the following two molecules:
CH3CH2CHO
and
CH3CH(OH)CH3
These two molecules have the same molecular formula (C3H6O) but different structures, and
therefore different chemical properties. The first molecule is a ketone, while the second molecule is
an alcohol.
Now, let's talk about some of the reactions covered in this chapter. There are four main types of
reactions in organic chemistry: substitution, addition, elimination, and rearrangement.
Substitution involves replacing one atom or group of atoms with another atom or group of
atoms. For example, consider the reaction between methane (CH4) and chlorine (Cl2) to
produce methyl chloride (CH3Cl) and hydrogen chloride (HCl):
CH4 + Cl2 -> CH3Cl + HCl
Addition involves adding atoms or groups of atoms to a molecule. For example, consider the
reaction between ethene (C2H4) and chlorine (Cl2) to produce 1,2-dichloroethane
(C2H4Cl2):
, C2H4 + Cl2 -> C2H4Cl2
Elimination involves removing atoms or groups of atoms from a molecule, often resulting in
the formation of a double bond. For example, consider the reaction between butan-2-ol
(C4H9OH) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to produce but-1-ene (C4H8) and water (H2O):
C4H9OH + H2SO4 -> C4H8 + H2O
Rearrangement involves rearranging the atoms or groups of atoms within a molecule to form
a new molecule. For example, consider the reaction between cyclohexanol (C6H11OH) and
sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to produce cyclohexene (C6H10) and water (H2O):
C6H11OH -> C6H10 + H2O
This chapter also covers various experimental techniques used in organic chemistry, such as
distillation, crystallization, and chromatography. These techniques are used to separate, purify, and
identify organic compounds.
In conclusion, this chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the practical aspects of organic
chemistry, including functional groups, isomerism, reactions, and experimental techniques. By
understanding these concepts, you will be well-equipped to tackle more complex topics in organic
chemistry, and appreciate the ubiquity and importance of organic chemistry in our daily lives.
Comprehensive Quiz on Practical Chemistry of Organic Matter
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Which of the following is an example of an organic compound used in the production of
plastics?
o a) Sodium chloride
o b) Ethylene
o c) Calcium carbonate
o d) Ammonium nitrate
2. What is the functional group in an alcohol?
o a) Methyl (-CH3)
o b) Hydroxyl (-OH)
o c) Carbonyl (-CO)
o d) Carboxyl (-COOH)
3. Which type of isomerism involves different arrangements of atoms within a molecule?
o a) Stereoisomerism
o b) Constitutional isomerism
o c) Geometric isomerism
o d) Enantiomerism
We kick off this chapter by discussing the practical aspects of organic chemistry. It may surprise you
to learn that organic chemistry is all around us and plays a critical role in our daily lives! Here are
some examples of how organic chemistry is used in the real world, with examples from videos:
Plastics: Did you know that plastics are made from organic compounds? In one video, we see
a plastic bottle being made from polyethylene, which is derived from ethylene, a simple
organic compound.
Medicines: Many medicines are derived from organic compounds. For example, the video
shows how aspirin is made from salicylic acid, which is found in the bark of willow trees.
Food: Organic chemistry plays a critical role in the food industry. In one video, we see how
vanillin, the compound that gives vanilla its flavor, is made from guaiacol, an organic
compound.
Now, let's dive into some of the key concepts covered in this chapter.
One important concept in organic chemistry is functional groups. A functional group is a specific
arrangement of atoms within a molecule that determines the molecule's chemical properties. For
example, the functional group in an alcohol is a hydroxyl (-OH) group, while the functional group in
an alkane is a methyl (-CH3) group.
Another critical concept in organic chemistry is isomerism. Isomers are molecules that have the
same molecular formula but different structures, leading to different chemical properties. There are
two types of isomers: constitutional isomers and stereoisomers. Constitutional isomers have
different arrangements of atoms, while stereoisomers have the same arrangement of atoms but
different spatial orientations.
Understanding isomerism is crucial for identifying and synthesizing organic compounds. For example,
consider the following two molecules:
CH3CH2CHO
and
CH3CH(OH)CH3
These two molecules have the same molecular formula (C3H6O) but different structures, and
therefore different chemical properties. The first molecule is a ketone, while the second molecule is
an alcohol.
Now, let's talk about some of the reactions covered in this chapter. There are four main types of
reactions in organic chemistry: substitution, addition, elimination, and rearrangement.
Substitution involves replacing one atom or group of atoms with another atom or group of
atoms. For example, consider the reaction between methane (CH4) and chlorine (Cl2) to
produce methyl chloride (CH3Cl) and hydrogen chloride (HCl):
CH4 + Cl2 -> CH3Cl + HCl
Addition involves adding atoms or groups of atoms to a molecule. For example, consider the
reaction between ethene (C2H4) and chlorine (Cl2) to produce 1,2-dichloroethane
(C2H4Cl2):
, C2H4 + Cl2 -> C2H4Cl2
Elimination involves removing atoms or groups of atoms from a molecule, often resulting in
the formation of a double bond. For example, consider the reaction between butan-2-ol
(C4H9OH) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to produce but-1-ene (C4H8) and water (H2O):
C4H9OH + H2SO4 -> C4H8 + H2O
Rearrangement involves rearranging the atoms or groups of atoms within a molecule to form
a new molecule. For example, consider the reaction between cyclohexanol (C6H11OH) and
sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to produce cyclohexene (C6H10) and water (H2O):
C6H11OH -> C6H10 + H2O
This chapter also covers various experimental techniques used in organic chemistry, such as
distillation, crystallization, and chromatography. These techniques are used to separate, purify, and
identify organic compounds.
In conclusion, this chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the practical aspects of organic
chemistry, including functional groups, isomerism, reactions, and experimental techniques. By
understanding these concepts, you will be well-equipped to tackle more complex topics in organic
chemistry, and appreciate the ubiquity and importance of organic chemistry in our daily lives.
Comprehensive Quiz on Practical Chemistry of Organic Matter
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. Which of the following is an example of an organic compound used in the production of
plastics?
o a) Sodium chloride
o b) Ethylene
o c) Calcium carbonate
o d) Ammonium nitrate
2. What is the functional group in an alcohol?
o a) Methyl (-CH3)
o b) Hydroxyl (-OH)
o c) Carbonyl (-CO)
o d) Carboxyl (-COOH)
3. Which type of isomerism involves different arrangements of atoms within a molecule?
o a) Stereoisomerism
o b) Constitutional isomerism
o c) Geometric isomerism
o d) Enantiomerism
