Nonhydrocarbon

A nonhydrocarbon is a chemical compound that is not a hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons are defined as substances composed exclusively of carbon and hydrogen. By contrast, nonhydrocarbons include any compound that contains elements other than carbon and hydrogen, even if carbon is present. This category spans both inorganic substances such as water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and salts, and organic compounds that include heteroatoms like oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur.

Examples include inorganic nonhydrocarbons: water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), sodium chloride (NaCl); and organic nonhydrocarbons: ethanol (C2H5OH), acetone (C3H6O), acetic acid (CH3COOH), and nitrobenzene (C6H5NO2). These substances vary widely in polarity, reactivity, and applications, and they may act as solvents, reagents, acids, bases, or electrolytes.

In environmental and industrial contexts, nonhydrocarbons play key roles in chemistry, biology, and technology. They influence climate through CO2, participate in nutrient cycles, and serve as feedstocks or solvents in manufacturing. The term helps distinguish materials that are not hydrocarbons for analysis, regulation, and processing, though boundaries with hydrocarbons can be fluid.

Note: Nonhydrocarbon is not a fixed class but a practical label indicating exclusion of hydrocarbons (compounds made only of C and H). Some contexts treat nonhydrocarbons as all carbon-containing compounds that are not hydrocarbons, including many organic molecules with oxygen, nitrogen, or other elements.