Organic chemicals are composed of carbon-based molecules with covalent bonds and functional group elements. They occur naturally in living organisms and govern various reactions, including the production of synthetic pharmaceuticals and consumer goods. The study of organic chemistry began with the synthesis of urea in 1828 and the production of aspirin in 1899. Organic compounds are classified as natural or synthetic, while inorganic compounds include oxides and minerals. Despite organic chemicals existing in living things, the Earth is mostly composed of inorganic materials.
An organic chemical substance, also referred to as an organic compound, is defined as made up of molecules possessing carbon-based atoms. Specifically, it is composed of carbon atoms attached to hydrogen atoms, along with a variety of other functional group elements, such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, etc. Usually, an organic chemical is covalently bonded, which means that electrons are shared between atoms. This feature is why organic chemicals can be structured into a variety of long chains and rings and form bonds with great stability.
As the name suggests, an organic chemical exists naturally, albeit in a wide variety of combinations. Indeed, they occur in all living organisms and form the core of all biological processes. However, organic compounds also govern numerous organic chemical reactions. Two of the simplest reactions that occur are combustion and saponification, or the hydrolysis of fats to make soap. However, some reactions can also produce new organic substances, including those used to make synthetic pharmaceuticals and the raw materials needed to make various consumer goods.
While the study of organic chemistry escalated to initiating organic reactions outside of living organisms (in vitro and synthesizing new chemicals), the field had modest beginnings. In fact, until the mid-19th century, scientists believed that the “life force” of organic compounds could not be duplicated by lifeless material.However, this thinking began to change when the chemist Friedrich Wöhler produced urea from ammonium cyanate in 19, the first known synthesis of a organic chemical from a non-organic source 1828, the birth of the pharmaceutical industry was celebrated with the production of aspirin from acetylsalicylic acid by a German drug and dye company called Bayer.
Today, organic compounds are generally classified as natural or synthetic, although sub-classifications also exist. Natural organic compounds are derived from living organisms, i.e. plants or animals. They include many vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, amino acids, enzymes and alkaloids. Synthetic organic compounds are produced by chemical reaction, whether the original material occurs in nature or not. In addition to man-made materials, such as plastics, examples of inorganic compounds include sulfides, oxides and minerals.
Since organic chemicals exist in all living things, it may seem ironic that the Earth is composed mostly of inorganic materials. The planet’s crust, for example, contains mostly oxides, which are considered inorganic even though they contain carbon atoms. Other carbon-based compounds exist in nature, but are still termed inorganic. Some examples include carbonates (salts) and carbon allotropes (diamonds and graphite).
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