Chapter 20: Carbon and

Hydrocarbons
 20.1 – Abundance and Importance of
Carbon
 20.2 – Organic Compounds
 20.3 – Saturated Hydrocarbons
 20.4 – Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
Structure and Bonding of Carbon
 Carbon, the first member of Group 14, has
mostly nonmetallic properties. Carbon
atoms tend to form four single bonds. This
bonding results in a tetrahedral shape.
Allotropes of Carbon
 Carbon occurs in several solid allotropic forms
that have dramatically different properties.
 Diamond – Colorless, crystalline, solid form of
carbon
 Graphite – soft, black, crystalline form of carbon
that is a fair conductor of electricity.
 Fullerenes – dark colored solids made of
spherically networked carbon atom cages
Allotropes of Carbon - Diamond
 The hardest material
known to man
 Carbon atoms are bonded
covalently in a network
fashion
 Conducts heat 5x better
than silver or copper
 Does not conduct
electricity
Allotropes of Carbon - Graphite
 Soft, crumbles easily
and feels greasy
 Used as a lubricant
and as lead
 Good conductor of
electricity
 Stronger and lighter
than steel
Allotropes of Carbon - Fullerenes
 Discovered in the
1980s (N.P. 1996)
 Structure consists of
near spherical cages
 Scientists are
currently trying to
find practical uses for
these substances
Organic Compounds
 Covalently bonded compounds containing
carbon, excluding carbonates and oxides

 The diversity of organic compounds results

from the uniqueness of carbon’s structure
and bonding
Carbon – Carbon Bonding
 Catenation – Carbon atoms are unique in
their ability to form long chains and rings
of covalently bonded atoms.
Carbon Bonding to Other
Elements
 Hydrocarbons – composed of only carbon
and hydrogen; they are the simplest
organic compounds.
 Most contain hydrocarbon backbones and
have other elements added on (O, S, and
N)
Arrangement of Atoms
 Isomer – Compounds that have the same
molecular formula but different structures

 As the number of carbons increases so does

the number of possible isomers
Structural Formula
 Indicates the number and types of atoms
present in a molecule and also shows the
bonding arrangement of the atoms

 Structural formulas do not accurately

represent the three dimensional shape of
the molecule.
Isomers – Structural
 Structural Isomers – isomers in which the
atoms are bonded together in different
orders
Isomers - Geometric
 Isomers in which the order of atom
bonding is the same but the arrangement of
atoms in space is different
 In order for geometric isomers to exist,
there must be a rigid structure in the
molecule to prevent free rotation around a
bond
Cis and Trans
Saturated Hydrocarbons
 Hydrocarbons in which each carbon atom
in the molecule form four single covalent
bonds with other atoms
Alkanes CnH2n+2

 Hydrocarbons that contain only single

bonds
 Homologous series – one in which adjacent
members differ by a constant unit.
 Alkyl groups- groups of atoms that are
formed when one hydrogen atom is
removed from an alkane molecule
Cycloalkanes
 Alkanes in which the carbon atoms are
arranged in a ring, or cyclic, structure
Alkane Nomenclature
Unbranched Chain
 Count the longest
continuous chain.
 Use greek prefix (at
right)
 End with -ane
Alkane Nomenclature
Branched Chain
 Name the longest
chain (See previous)
 Add the name of the
alkyl group
 Insert position
numbers
 Punctuate
Example
Cycloalkane Nomenclature
 Name the longest chain
 Add Cyclo-
 Add names of alkyl groups
 Number the carbons (lowest numbers)
 Inset position numbers
 Punctuate
Example
 Give the name of the following molecule

 6 carbons = hexane
 CH3 = methyl
 Number around the circle
 1,3 - dimethlycyclohexane
Example
 Draw 1,1- dimethylcyclobutane
Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
 Hydrocarbons in which not all carbon
atoms have four single covalent bonds
Alkenes CnH2n
 Hydrocarbons that contain double covalent
bonds
Alkene Nomenclature
 Name the same as Alkane
 Locate the longest continuous chain that
contains the double bond(s).
 Double bond should have lowest number
Example
Alkynes CnH2n-2
 Hydrocarbons with triple covalent bonds

 Named the same as others

 Find the longest chain containing a triple
bond
 Number so triple bond has lowest number
Example
 Name the following
Aromatic Hydrocarbons
 Hydrocarbons with six membered carbon
rings and delocalized electrons
 Benzene – the primary aromatic
hydrocarbon
Aromatic Nomenclature
 Name the parent Hydrocarbon (Usually
benzene)
 Name the Alkyl groups
 Number the carbon atoms
 Insert position numbers
 Add Punctuation
Example
 Name the following
Example