CARBON AND ITS COMPOUNDS

CARBON
Carbon is a chemical element with
the symbol C and atomic number 6.
It is non-metallic and tetravalent
 ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
the branch of chemistry that deals
with carbon compounds.
 WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT CARBON?
• One of the most important elements for all living things
is carbon.
• Carbon occurs in all living organisms. The simplest
organic molecules consist of carbon chemically bonded
to hydrogen.
• Carbon is a nonmetal that can bond with itself and
many other chemical elements, forming over ten million
compounds. 
• Carbon compounds have limitless uses. In its elemental
form, diamond is a gemstone and used for
drilling/cutting; graphite is used in pencils, as a
lubricant, and to protect against rust; while charcoal is
used to remove toxins, tastes, and odors. The isotope
Carbon-14 is used in radiocarbon dating.
• There are now more than ten million organic
compounds known by chemists. Many more
undoubtedly exist in nature, and organic chemists
are continually creating (synthesizing) new ones.
• Carbon is the only element that can form so many
different compounds because each carbon atom can
form four chemical bonds to other atoms, and
because the carbon atom is just the right, small size
to fit in comfortably as parts of very large molecules.
 OCCURANCE OF CARBON
• Carbon is found in the atmosphere, in the earth’s crust and
in all living organisms
• Carbon is present is fuels like wood, charcoal, coke,
petroleum, natural gas, biogas, marsh gas etc.
• Carbon also occurs as carbonates and hydrogen carbonates.
• Carbon also exists in the free state as diamond, graphite etc.
BONDING IN CARBON
 Carbon compounds have the following physical
properties:
 They exists as solids, liquids and gases.
 They have low melting and boiling points.
 They are poor conductors of electricity.
 They are insoluble is water but are soluble in
organic solvents.
So new can conclude that compounds of
carbon are not composed of ions i.e. bonding
is not ionic and the forces of attraction
between the molecules are not strong.

Let’s see how carbon participates in bond formation

 CASE I: GAINING 4 ELECTRONS
On gaining 4 electrons carbon forms C4-
anion.

After gaining 4 electrons, the carbon atom has 6

protons in its nucleus with 10 electrons
revolving around it
But it would be difficult for the nucleus with
six protons to hold on to 10 electrons, i.e. 4
extra electrons.
 CASE I: LOSING 4 ELECTRONS
On losing 4 electrons carbon forms C4+
cation.

But it would require a large amount of energy

to remove four electrons leaving behind a
carbon cation with six protons holding on to
just two electrons.
 To complete its octet, Carbon
shares its valence electrons with
other atoms of carbon or with
atoms of other elements. The
bond so forms is known as a
COVALENT BOND
 COVALENT BOND
The bond formed between two atoms by
mutual sharing of electrons between them so
as to complete their octets or duplets (in case
of hydrogen) is called a COVALENT BOND.
The shared electrons belong to the outer
shells of both the atoms and lead to both the
atoms attaining the noble gas configuration.
SINGLE COVALENT BOND
If each atom contributes
one electron, the covalent
bond formed is the single
covalent bond. A pair of
electron is shared in this
case.
 EXAMPLE
HYDROGEN – H2
ATOMIC NUMBER - 1
ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION - 1
Each hydrogen atom needs 1 electron to attain nearest
noble gas configuration. So they will share their
electrons with each other as shown in the figure.

+ 
Number of electrons shared = 2
Number of electron pairs shared = 1
Type of covalent bond: SINGLE COVALENT BOND
Skeletal structure -
DOUBLE COVALENT BOND
If each atom contributes
two electrons, the covalent
bond formed is the double
covalent bond. Two pairs
of electrons are shared in
this case.
 EXAMPLE
OXYGEN – O2
ATOMIC NUMBER - 8
ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION – 2, 6
Each oxygen atom needs 2 electrons to attain nearest
noble gas configuration. So they will share two of their
valence electrons with each other as shown in the figure.

+ 
4
Number of electrons shared =
2
Number of electron pairs shared =
Type of covalent bond = DOUBLE COVALENT BOND
Skeletal structure -
TRIPLE COVALENT BOND
If each atom contributes
three electrons, the
covalent bond formed is
the triple covalent bond.
Three pairs of electrons is
shared in this case.
 EXAMPLE
NITROGEN – N2
ATOMIC NUMBER - 7
ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION – 2, 5
Each nitrogen atom needs 3 electrons to attain nearest noble
gas configuration. So they will share three of their valence
electrons with each other as shown in the figure.

+ 

6
Number of electrons shared = 3
Number of electron pairs shared =
Type of covalent bond = TRIPLE COVALENT BOND
Skeletal structure -
 QUESTIONS
Draw the electron dot structures of
 Hydrogen chloride
 Ammonia
 Methane
HYDROGEN CHLORIDE
(HCl)
AMMONIA
(NH3)
METHANE
(CH4)
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IONIC
COMPOUNDS AND COVALENT
COMPOUNDS
IONIC COMPOUNDS COVALENT COMPOUNDS
1. Ionic compounds are formed by the 1. Covalent compounds are formed by
transfer of electrons from metals to non the sharing of electrons between non-
metals. metals
2. They are hard crystalline solids 2. They exist as soft solids, liquids and
gases

3. They are soluble in water but are 3. They are soluble in organic solvents
insoluble in organic solvents like petro, but are insoluble in water.
kerosene, benzene etc.
4. They have high melting and boiling 4. They have low melting and boiling
points. points.

5. They conduct electricity in molten 5. They do not conduct electricity.

state or in aqueous solutions.
ALLOTROPY
 ALLOTROPY
Allotropy is the property of some chemical elements to exist in two
or more different forms, in the same physical state. These different
form are known as allotropes of the elements.
EXAMPLES

SULPHUR PHOSPHORUS
ALLOTROPES OF CARBON
Carbon is capable of forming
many allotropes due to its valency.
Well-known forms of carbon
include diamond and graphite. In
recent decades, many more
allotropes have been discovered and
researched including ball shapes
such as buckminster fullerene.
 DIAMOND
Diamond is a well-known
allotrope of carbon that
exhibits hardness and high
dispersion of light. It is the
hardest known natural
mineral and finds
applications in cutting,
drilling, and jewelry. In
diamond, each carbon
atom is bonded to four
other carbon atoms
forming a rigid three-
dimensional structure.
 GRAPHITE
Graphite is an allotrope of carbon which is a good conductor
of electricity. In graphite, each carbon atom is bonded to
three other carbon atoms in the same plane giving a
hexagonal array. One of these bonds is a double-bond, and
thus the valency of carbon is satisfied. Graphite structure is
formed by the hexagonal arrays being placed in layers one
above the other. Since the layers are stacked over each other,
this carbon allotrope can act as a lubricant.
BUCKMINSTER FULLERENE
Buckminsterfullerene is a
type of fullerene with the
formula C60. It has a
cage-like fused-ring
structure that resembles
a soccor ball, made of
twenty hexagons and
twelve pentagons. Since
this looked like the
geodesic dome designed
by the US architect
Buckminster Fuller, the
molecule was named
fullerene.
VERSATILE NATURE OF
CARBON
 The nature of the covalent bond
enables carbon to form a large no of
compounds. In the case of carbon the
following factors enable it to form a
large number of compounds.
1. CATENATION
2. TETRAVALENCY
3. TENDENCY TO FORM MULTIPLE
BONDS
4. ISOMERISM
 CATENATION
The property of self linking of carbon atoms through
covalent bonds to form long straight or branched
chains and rings of different sizes is called catenation.

The property of catenation can be attributed to the

small size of the carbon atom. Smaller is the size,
closer will be the bond pair of electrons to the adjacent
nuclei. The strength of the carbon-carbon bonds
makes carbon compounds quite stable.
TETRAVALENCY OF CARBON
Carbon has valency of four, it is capable of bonding
with four other atoms of carbon or atoms of some
other monovalent element. Compounds of carbon
are formed with chlorine, oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen,
hydrogen etc. giving rise to specific properties which
depend upon the heteroatom present.
TENDENCY TO FORM MULTIPLE BONDS
Carbon can form single, double and triple
bond with other carbon atoms and with
atoms like O, N.(due to its small size it can
hold on to the shared pairs of electrons). This
multiplicity of bonding gives rise to a large
no. of compounds.
 ISOMERISM
The existence of molecules that have the same no.
and same kind of atoms (hence the same formula)
but differing in chemical and physical properties is
known as isomerism. The molecules that show this
phenomenon are known as isomers. They differ in
the structural arrangement of atoms.
 ARRANGEMENT OF CARBON ATOMS IN CARBON
COMPOUNDS
 Straight chain compounds- In these types of
compounds the carbon atoms are linearly linked
forming straight chains. (also known as open
chains)

 Branched chains- In these types of compounds at

least one carbon atom is linked to three or four
carbon atoms giving rise to a branched like
structure.

 Cyclic compounds (Rings) –The carbon atoms

may be arranged in the form of rings. These
may contain carbon-carbon multiple bonds.
 DRAWING STRUCTURES OF
HYDROCARBONS
EXAMPLES
C2H6 H H
I I
CH C -I - I- H
H H

C3H6 H H
I I
C C C=
I I
- I
- H
H H H
SKELETAL STRUCTURE OF
C4H6
 HYDROCARBONS
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is
an organic compound consisting entirely
of hydrogen and carbon.
 SATURATED HYDROCARBONS
ALKANES GENERAL FORMULA – CnH2n+2
n Formula Structure IUPAC Name
CnH2n+2
n=1
1 CH4 METHANE

2 C2H6 ETHANE

3 C3H8 PROPANE

4 C4H10 BUTANE

5 C5H12 PENTANE

6 C6H14 HEXANE
 UNSATURATED HYDROCARBONS
ALKENES GENERAL FORMULA – CnH2n
n Formula Structure IUPAC
CnH2n Name

2 C 2 H4 ETHENE

3 C3H6 PROPENE

4 C 4H 8 BUTENE

5 C5H10 PENTENE

6 C6H12 HEXENE
UNSATURATED HYDROCARBONS
ALKYNES GENERAL FORMULA – CnH2n-2
n Formula Structure IUPAC
CnH2n-2 name

2 C 2H2 ETHYNE

3 C3 H 4 PROPYNE

4 C 4H 6 BUTYNE

5 C5 H 8 PENTYNE

6 C6H10 HEXYNE
  
HOMOLOGOUS SERIES

A homologous series may be defined as

the family of organic compounds having
the same functional group, similar
chemical properties, and successive
members of which differ by a CH2 unit
or 14 mass units.
All members of a homologous series can
be represented by the same general
formula.
 EXAMPLES
ALKANES DIFFERENCE
Methane CH4
} CH2
Ethane C2H6

Propane C3H8 } CH2

ALKENES DIFFERENCE
Ethene C2 H 4
} CH2
Propene C3H6

Butene C 4H 8
} CH2
The members of a homologous
series show a gradation in
physical properties as the
molecular mass increases. Eg
melting and boiling points
increase as the mass increases,
solubility in a particular solvent
also show a similar gradation.
ELECTRON DOT STRUCTURES OF
HYDROCARBONS
ELECTRON DOT STRUCTURE OF METHANE
ELECTRON DOT STRUCTURE OF ETHENE
ELECTRON DOT STRUCTURE OF PROPENE