compoundsorganic

Organic compounds are chemical compounds that primarily consist of carbon and hydrogen, often with other elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and halogens. The term reflects the field of organic chemistry, which arose from the historic notion that these substances come from living systems, though many are now routinely prepared synthetically. Carbon’s tetravalence enables a vast variety of structures, including long chains, branched molecules, and ring systems, giving rise to immense diversity in properties and reactivity.

The core of organic chemistry is the study of how carbon atoms bond and arrange themselves. Hydrocarbons form the simplest family, with alkanes having single bonds, alkenes containing carbon–carbon double bonds, alkynes with triple bonds, and aromatic hydrocarbons featuring stabilized ring systems such as benzene. Most real-world organic compounds are heteroatom-containing, bearing functional groups like hydroxyl (–OH), carbonyl (C=O), carboxyl (–COOH), amino (–NH2), and many others. These groups largely govern chemical reactivity, physical properties, and synthesis strategies. Naming is largely governed by IUPAC rules, with functional groups and substituents determining the core structure and stereochemistry.

Organic compounds are central to life and industry. They make up biomolecules—carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids—and provide fuels, pharmaceuticals, plastics, dyes, and agrochemicals. Physical properties vary widely, but many are soluble in organic solvents and have covalent bonds that influence stability and reactivity. Analytical techniques such as NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry are routinely used to characterize them, while safety and environmental considerations address persistence and toxicity of certain compounds.