Indenfocation of Organic Compounds

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Identification of organic compounds. Aim: We have been given five organic compounds labelled A-E. We are to determine through a series of analytical tests what each organic compound is from the following; * Ethanol – Alcohol. * Aqueous Solution of Ethanal – Aldehyde. * Propanone – Ketone. * Ethanoic Acid – Carboxylic Acid. * Ethyl Ethanoate- Ester. Introduction: Organic compounds make up a significant amount of materials used in everyday life. Clothes, food, cosmetics, medicines and even fuels are made up of organic compounds. The base of organic compounds is the element Carbon. It can form varying amounts of organic compounds so well because it possess the ability to form strong covalent bonds with itself. Covalent bonds are shared between two non-metals where an electron pair or pairs occupy the space between the nuclei of both atoms. The negatively charged electrons are electrostatically attracted to the positive charges of both nuclei and overcomes the repulsion of both positibely charged nuclei. This bond holds the two atoms together. This ability allows the element to form long chains of carbon atoms that can provide an infinite variety of carbon compounds. Most of these compounds contain covalent bonds with hydrogen, as hydrogen has the potential to covalently bond once with any other non- metal, whilst in comparison carbon has the potential to covalently bond with four other non-metals. Organic compounds containing only both hydrogen and carbon are called hydrocarbons. A saturated hydrocarbon contains single bonds only. Propane is an example of a saturated hydrocarbon. (see below.) H H H H-C-C-C-H Propane. H H H These saturated hydrocarbons are known as Alkanes and Have the general formula CnH2n+2 where n= the number

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