Structures, Reactions and Properties of Commercially Important Organic Compounds

Organic Compounds and their Commercial Relevance

Organic compounds are primarily based on carbon atoms.
Carbon atoms can create single, double or triple bonds with each other, leading to a wide variety of organic compounds.
The variation in compound structures results in different functional groups such as alcohol, ketone, aldehyde, carboxylic acid, ester, and ethers.
The three-dimensional structure of organic compounds and their specific arrangements are crucial for their properties and function.

Organic compounds often have a high carbon and hydrogen content which relates to their combustibility and usage as fuels.
The presence of different functional groups and their arrangements significantly affect the chemical properties.
The intermolecular forces present among organic compounds affect their physical properties such as boiling point, melting point, viscosity, and solubility.

The type of reaction undergone by an organic compound largely depends on its structural features.
Addition reactions often occur with unsaturated compounds having double or triple bonds.
Substitution reactions often occur when a reactive species replaces another atom or group in the compound.
Esterification is a specific type of reaction resulting in the production of esters.

Organic compounds have a wide range of uses in areas like medicine, agriculture, and industry.
Simple hydrocarbons like methane and ethane are key components in natural gas and are used for heating and cooking.
Organic compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes and carboxylic acids are widely used in making perfumes and flavours.
A number of organic compounds, particularly those with benzene rings, find critical applications in the pharmaceutical industry.
Polymers, which are long-chain organic compounds, have transformed the materials industry, providing plastics, rubber, fibres and resins.